Dartmouth Officers Recognized for Heroic Act at Lake Noquochoke

It’s not every day that your job description will find you jumping into a lake to save people from a sinking car, but when Dartmouth police officers Justin Amaral and Joseph Hilchey were faced with that decision, they didn’t even think twice to save two people from a sinking car in Lake Noquochoke.

Amaral and Hilchey were recognized by the Dartmouth Select Board on Monday for their heroic efforts on April 15.

Amaral and Hilchey arrived at the scene on April 15 to find a 2016 Ford Focus in six to seven feet of water. According to Dartmouth PD, the officers removed their duty gear and swam approximately 100 feet out to the vehicle, and helped the two occupants out of the car and back to shore.

The Select Board's Shawn McDonald sang the officer’s praises during the meeting.

“Their heroics are not lost on the five of us here, but more importantly, their heroics are not lost on the general public," McDonald said. "You guys did what you were trained to do. You guys did what you thought was the right thing to do.”

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McDonald congratulated the two officers on their heroic act as Dartmouth Police Chief Brian Levesque proudly stood by.

“You show us, the community, as to what the Dartmouth Police Department stands for, especially during their 100^th year anniversary,” said McDonald.

“We thought it was very well-deserved,” Det. Kyle Costa said of the recognition. “I can honestly say that they are very humble and didn’t want attention. They said, ‘It’s what we do, it’s part of our daily routine,’ and each one said they would do it all over again.”

Costa also made a point to recognize the District 3 fire department in assisting with the rescue.

“Our guys jumped in with their clothes on and started, but the fire department also played a vital role,” he said.

It was a proud moment for the Dartmouth Police Department and a happy ending for all the people involved after that stressful night at Lake Noquochoke.