By: Fred Groves, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter
To serve and protect.
That is the mission of first responders, including police officers, and often they are called upon to go above and beyond.
On September 2, in total disregard for his own life, Windsor Police Service officer and Lakeshore resident Constable Austin Jennings jumped into the Detroit River to save the life of a woman in obvious distress.
“It’s not something we do every day. It’s the only time it has happened to me,” said Jennings.
Jumping into the Detroit River is not part of a regular patrol, but he said it was instinct to help and that it was something he had been trained to do.
Earlier this year, the Windsor Police had a special ceremony to acknowledge Constable Jennings’ act of bravery and presented him with the Chief’s Recognition Coin. In the media statement, it said that the incident required problem-solving, bravery and teamwork.
“In a critical moment, Constable Jennings put aside his own safety to save a life,” said the statement.
In the daring rescue, Jennings responded to a caller in distress and saw the woman drifting from shore. He used a flotation device to rescue her and after helping her to get to shore, she was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
“To me, it was instinct. It was something I was trained to do.”
Leadership seems to come naturally to Jennings. He grew up playing minor hockey in Belle River, played junior hockey in town, and then became captain of the Amherstburg Admirals junior ‘C’ hockey team.
He became a police officer for the City of Windsor in 2022, at age 24, because he wanted to help others in need.
“It was something I had to think about. I had some friends and close family members who did it. Growing up in Belle River, I had a neighbour who was a police officer.”
Like other first responders, the call to duty goes far beyond the shift work and the uniform. As a former standout local hockey player, Jennings suited up for the Play for a Cure benefit game and believes doing that is very important.
“It’s a big part of what we do. It’s good for people to see us out of uniform.” Jennings concluded.