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FLETC Officer Recognized for Life-Saving Action

Release Date
Fri, 03/22/2019

BRUNSWICK, GA. – A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Instructor was awarded the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Director's Life Saving Award for his rapid actions in saving a man’s life following a suicide attempt off the St. Simons Island Pier.

FLECTE Dir. Award march 2019
(L-R) FLETC Director T. Walters, CBP
officer Shelby Shipman and CBP Academy
Director C. Holtzer

The ceremony was held Thursday at the CBP Field Operations Academy in Brunswick, Georgia.

While off duty in late November, Supervisory Customs and Border Protection Officer Shelby Shipman, who currently serves as an Instructor in the Physical Techniques Division at FLETC was visiting the St. Simons Island Pier, when he noted a pilot boat had arrived with an injured man lying in a pool of blood.  Moments earlier the man had attempted suicide by cutting his wrist and plunging off the pier.

“Supervisor Shipman utilizing his critical training and skills to save human life exemplifies the boundless dedication and expertise our Instructors deliver every day as they train the CBP Officers of tomorrow.” said Christopher Holtzer, CBP Field Operations Academy Director.

Supervisor Shipman utilized his skills as a Tactical Medical Instructor to apply the emergency tourniquet he carried while subduing the struggling man to successfully control the bleeding.   

Kyle Brown, a firefighter/paramedic with the Glynn County Fire Department was quick to credit the assistance of a well-prepared off-duty instructor from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in successfully saving the man’s life.  “Not too many guys carry a tourniquet in their pocket, but we were fortunate.”

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center trains the majority of federal officers and agents in the United States.  In addition to providing training for over 90 federal partner organizations, FLETC also provides training to state, local, tribal and international police in selected advanced programs; graduating more than 70,000 students annually. FLETC is the largest law enforcement training organization in the country, headquartered on a 1,600-acre campus at Glynco, near Brunswick.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021