UAPD Officer Honored for ‘Going Above and Beyond the Call of Duty’

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A quiet Monday evening in early May turned into a heroic moment for University of Alabama Police Department Officer Albert Canzoneri.

Just after 8 p.m. on May 10, Canzoneri, who has been with UAPD for more than seven years, was on patrol when he heard a call come across his police radio about an individual who was attempting to jump into the Black Warrior River at the Park at Manderson Landing.

Canzoneri, the first officer to arrive at the park, found a woman who was having thoughts of suicide. After Canzoneri, other UAPD officers and Northstar paramedics spoke with her for a while, she stood up from the park bench where she was seated and headed toward the river.

“You’re always preparing yourself just in case because you don’t want to be caught off guard,” Canzoneri said. “When she stood up from the bench and started walking that way. I started walking with her. And then, she took off, hopped the rail, and I went over the rail with her, but all I could grab was a little bit of her shirt.”

Canzoneri immediately stripped his utility vest, belt and boots and jumped into the river and swam to the woman who couldn’t swim. He grabbed her and then swam to shallow water where other officers were able to help get her out of the water and into a waiting ambulance.

For going above and beyond the call of duty, Canzoneri was presented the Chief of Police’s Medal of Honor by UAPD Chief John Hooks during a ceremony May 16, which was attended by Canzoneri’s supervisors, family, friends and peers.

When asked if he considers himself a hero, Canzoneri said, “Absolutely not. No.”

“When I got the medal, I was surprised that I did because I just felt like it was something that we all would have done. It just happened to be my number, my turn. So I was very surprised to get that award.”