WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund named Sergeant John Banner, Officer Christopher Wiseman and Officer Brian Leal of the White Settlement Police Department its April 2026 Officers of the Month after a floodwater rescue involving a mother and three children.

NLEOMF announced the recognition on May 27, saying the Texas officers were selected after responding during severe storm conditions to a vehicle stranded in rapidly rising floodwater near a drainage channel.

Children moved to safety, mother stabilized in rushing water

According to NLEOMF, Sgt. Banner saw that the vehicle was trapped as fast-moving water continued rising around it. The organization said Banner first secured the three children inside his patrol vehicle.

Officer Wiseman and Officer Leal then helped efforts to reach the children’s mother, who could not safely exit because of the current, NLEOMF said.

Without immediate access to standard water-rescue equipment, the officers improvised with jumper cables from a patrol vehicle as a makeshift rescue line. NLEOMF said the mother secured the cables around her chest and under her arms while officers anchored the opposite end to help stabilize her against the rushing water until additional emergency personnel arrived.

Firefighters later secured the vehicle and helped bring the scene under control, according to NLEOMF. The organization said all four family members were evaluated by medical personnel and reported unharmed.

“The actions taken by Sergeant Banner, Officer Wiseman, and Officer Leal demonstrate the adaptability and teamwork often required during emergency situations,” Bill Alexander, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, said in the announcement.

A public-safety lesson beyond the award

For ThinBlueNews readers, the recognition is a reminder that rescues often depend on calm problem-solving before specialized equipment arrives. In this case, NLEOMF credited the officers’ teamwork and improvised rescue line with helping keep a family safe until firefighters and other responders could secure the scene.

The Officer of the Month Award Program is sponsored by the Police Unity Tour and recognizes federal, state and local officers who distinguish themselves through exemplary law-enforcement service and devotion to duty, according to NLEOMF.

Sources reviewed

Editorial note: ThinBlueNews used NLEOMF’s source-backed recognition release and real source image, attributed the facts directly, kept the family’s identity private, and avoided invented rescue details or AI-generated floodwater imagery. No paid promotion, DMs, emails, password, 2FA, billing or security actions were performed.