Officer Jimmy Jalil, Jr.

Boca Raton (FL) Police Services Department

Washington, DC—The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) has announced the selection of Officer Jimmy Jalil, Jr. of the Boca Raton (FL) Police Services Department as Officer of the Month for March 2011.
At approximately 7:50 pm on December 1, 2010, Officer Jalil was dispatched to a traffic accident on Interstate 95 in Boca Raton. The driver lost control of his SUV, which spun out of control and hit a utility pole. Officer Jalil arrived to a chaotic scene. The SUV was engulfed in flames, and two eye-witnesses reported that a female passenger was still trapped in the front seat of the vehicle. During his initial survey, Officer Jalil identified a deceased passenger and another who was barely breathing after being ejected from the SUV.
A retired firefighter who was on scene attempted to use Officer Jalil’s fire extinguisher to fight the blaze, while a bystander used a fully depleted extinguisher to try and break a rear window, in order to reach the female passenger. The driver’s side was blocked due to fire and damage from the initial impact against the utility pole. Officer Jalil battled heat, smoke and fire extinguisher discharge as he tried unsuccessfully to smash the front passenger-side window with his ASP baton.
In such dire circumstances Officer Jalil knew his only chance to save the trapped passenger was to discharge his firearm to break the window. He ordered all of the civilians to clear away from the vehicle and instructed the trapped female passenger to lean as far forward as she could. He fired two rounds at a downward angle into the rear passenger window and successfully broke the glass. Using his baton, he cleared out the window and reached into the burning vehicle, lifting the female above his head and out over the front seat. He carried her to a safe location where paramedics were able to administer treatment.

The female passenger, Brianna Motley, survived the incident with a broken leg and minor scratches. A responding officer reported that he could still feel the intense heat from the charred SUV ten minutes after the fire was extinguished. Unfortunately, the driver of the vehicle was killed on impact; however, Ms. Motley and the other surviving passenger were transported to a nearby hospital and recovered from their injuries.
Boca Raton (FL) Police Services Department Chief Dan Alexander wrote, “In the midst of attempting this harrowing rescue, Officer Jalil managed an extremely frenzied scene, providing clear direction to officers, civilians and other responders. He was calm, deliberate, and creative under less than ideal circumstances.
Located in the nation’s capital, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers. The Memorial Fund’s Officer of the Month Program began in September 1996 and recognizes federal, state and local officers who distinguish themselves through exemplary law enforcement service and devotion to duty.
Officer Jalil, along with the other Officers of the Month for 2011, will be honored at a special awards luncheon in Washington, DC, during National Police Week in May 2012. In addition, their stories of heroism and service will be featured in the Memorial Fund’s 2013 calendar.

The Police Unity Tour is the official sponsor of the Memorial Fund’s Officer of the Month Program.