Trooper who saved child nominated for international award
February 6, 2024 | By Lisa ScagliottiVermont State Trooper Michelle Archer. Screenshot from VSP video interview
A Vermont State Police trooper who jumped into a Cambridge pond in December to rescue a child who had fallen through thin ice is now in the running for a prestigious international public safety award.
Trooper Michelle Archer has been selected as one of four finalists from the U.S. and Canada for the International Association of Chiefs of Police / Motorola Solutions Trooper of the Year Award, according to a state police announcement on Tuesday.
The award “recognizes four state troopers and provincial police officers who have demonstrated bravery, courage, leadership, and professionalism in the previous year,” according to the chiefs association.
State Police Director Col. Matthew T. Birmingham nominated Archer after her lifesaving rescue on Dec. 17 of an 8-year-old girl who has since made a full recovery from her ordeal.
“I can think of no one who is more deserving of this honor than Trooper Archer,” Birmingham said. “At great risk to her personal safety, she swam through near-freezing water, reached the drowning girl, and pulled her to shore. Without Trooper Archer’s selfless conduct, the outcome could have been tragic.”
Birmingham emphasized that Archer does not consider herself a hero. Since the rescue, she has kept her focus on the girl, he noted. “We can say what Trooper Archer would never say about herself: She is absolutely a hero,” he said.
Finalists for the award are chosen from a pool of nominees, one each from the international association’s four regions. The winner will be announced on March 14 at a banquet on March 14 in San Antonio, Texas.
The Vermont State Police announcement of Archer’s nomination included comments from Gov. Phil Scott:
“Trooper Archer’s selection as a finalist for Trooper of the Year is a well-deserved honor. I am extremely proud of her for demonstrating such incredible bravery in saving the life of this young girl. The actions of Trooper Archer, and those of Trooper Keith Cote, who arrived moments later to assist in the rescue, reflect the best traditions of the Vermont State Police and its core values of courage, honor and integrity.”
Archer has been with the Vermont State Police since January 2018. Following her graduation from the Vermont Police Academy that July, she was assigned as a trooper to the Williston Barracks, which is responsible for patrols throughout Chittenden and Lamoille counties. Archer also is a member of the Vermont State Police Search and Rescue Team and serves as a Field Training Officer.
A video interview with Troopers Archer and Cote about the rescue from the Vermont State Police can be viewed here.
See previous stories about the rescue in Waterbury Roundabout’s News section here and here.