JONESBORO, Arkansas — A police chief who quietly used the Heimlich maneuver after a choking woman stopped breathing received a city Life Saver Award and a standing ovation this week.
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver presented the award to Police Chief Rick Elliott during Tuesday’s City Council meeting, according to local reporting by Rachel Rudd for Jonesboro Right Now.
July 10 response restored the woman’s breathing
Copenhaver said Elliott responded to the emergency on July 10. The woman had stopped breathing because of an airway obstruction, and Elliott used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge it and restore her ability to breathe.
The local report does not identify the woman or disclose additional medical details. ThinBlueNews is preserving that privacy and is not adding facts beyond the public award account.
A quiet rescue became public recognition
The mayor said Elliott had not publicized what happened. Copenhaver told the meeting that “people find out about good deeds when people do good deeds,” then thanked the chief for his professionalism and service to Jonesboro.
Council attendees stood and applauded as Elliott accepted the award. The official contributed photograph shows Elliott and Copenhaver holding the presentation box in the council chamber.
The recognition highlights a basic but consequential part of police service: officers may arrive first at medical emergencies and must act before fire or EMS crews can take over. Elliott’s response turned that readiness into a lifesaving result.
Readers can find more verified acts of service in ThinBlueNews’ police hero stories, police rescue news and positive police news sections.
Source and visual attribution
- Jonesboro Right Now — “Jonesboro Police Chief Honored for Lifesaving Act,” by Rachel Rudd, published Aug. 6, 2026. The report supplies the July 10 response date, award presentation, the mayor’s account of the choking emergency and the City of Jonesboro contributed photograph.
Visual note: The featured image uses the authentic City of Jonesboro contributed award photograph carried by Jonesboro Right Now. ThinBlueNews uses the limited, source-attributed image for editorial reporting, claims no ownership and did not generate or reenact any person, rescue or award scene.
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