SFPD Cadet Honored for Efforts to Aid Severely Injured Motorcyclist
On April 5, 2016, 19 year-old SFPD Police cadet Grace Alongi was driving on southbound 680 approaching the Main Street exit in Walnut Creek. Cadet Alongi had just left school and was headed to San Francisco to start her afternoon shift in SFPD’s Special Victims Unit. She witnessed a multi-vehicle collision on the northbound side in which a motorcyclist struck a disabled vehicle and was launched into the air over the center divider and into oncoming southbound traffic.
The rider and motorcycle landed in front of Cadet Alongi, but she was able to safely stop without striking the rider. She immediately exited her vehicle, removed her jacket to expose her Cadet uniform and donned department issued latex gloves to provide assistance. She immediately applied pressure to the motorcyclist’s most severe wounds and directed onlookers to call 911. The severely injured motorcyclist was disoriented but conscious and Cadet Alongi talked to him for several minutes while providing first aid. Medics arriving on the scene initiated CPR after the victim lost consciousness. He unfortunately succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.
Cadet Alongi remained on the scene to provide statements to CHP investigators, including the victim’s final statement before he lost consciousness. At the family’s request, she later spoke on the phone to the victim’s daughter about her father’s last minutes, in order to help provide comfort and closure.
When asked why she had stopped on the freeway to render aid and provide comfort to the victim at great personal risk, Cadet Alongi stated, “It was something natural- anybody would do it.”
Cadet Alongi was hired as police Cadet in February, 2015 and has completed SFPD
Cadet Academy training, which includes First Aid and CPR. She’s since served at San Francisco Police Headquarters, Tenderloin Station and in the Special Victims Unit.
The San Francisco Police Department is extremely proud of Cadet Grace Alongi. She was joined by her family and numerous high ranking members of the Department Wednesday as she was honored with a Certificate of Merit and Appreciation by the San Francisco Police Commission. We look forward to her joining the force- she’s set to apply for the Q2-Police Officer hiring process this month on her 20th birthday.