NEW BERN, North Carolina — New Bern Police Department Officer K. Litterio received a life-saving award after the department said she performed life-saving measures during an April medical emergency before fire and EMS personnel arrived.
In a public post on June 3, the City of New Bern, NC Police Department said Litterio was recognized on June 2, 2026, for actions taken on April 12, 2026.
Life-saving measures before EMS arrived
According to the department, Litterio responded to a medical emergency and began life-saving measures before the arrival of the fire department and emergency medical services.
The department said the patient was transported after EMS arrived and ultimately survived the ordeal. New Bern Police credited Litterio’s actions and dedication to duty as directly contributing to the preservation of life.
“Officer K. Litterio’s actions and dedication to duty directly contributed to the preservation of life, and we are proud to have her within our ranks,” the department wrote.
A reminder of patrol’s quiet medical-response role
The recognition is a reminder that front-line police work is not only pursuits, arrests or high-profile incidents. Often, the first public-safety professional through the door must hold the line during a medical emergency until the rest of the response chain arrives.
For Support Law Enforcement readers, Litterio’s award highlights a practical point: patrol officers are frequently part of the first minutes of a medical crisis, and those minutes can matter.
Sources reviewed
- City of New Bern, NC Police Department Facebook post announcing Officer K. Litterio’s life-saving award
- City of New Bern, NC Police Department source photo as served by Facebook CDN
Editorial note: ThinBlueNews used the department’s public source post and source photo with attribution. The article avoids adding unverified medical details about the patient or emergency and uses no AI-generated rescue imagery.