CORDOVA, TN— A Memphis Police Officer will be honored by MPD for saving a girl's life, but will also have a formal reprimand on his file for helping that same girl.
The reason, according to MPD, is that he used the wrong gun when he shot a dog attacking the 9-year-old.
Officer Mike Roseberry is a father of five and works two jobs to take care of his family. He works the midnight shift for MPD. When he clocks in Wednesday night, that's when the hearing will start.
"We want justice for him and for him to be recognized, not punished, for what he did because if he didn't do what he did then Chloe wouldn't be here,” said a tearful mother, Nichole Mintz.
She says Officer Roseberry saved her daughter's life Halloween night. A German shepherd attacked Chloe Mintz while she was trick or treating in Cordova. The dog bit her arm and leg. Officer Roseberry was off-duty at the time and with the Mintz family. He shot the dog to stop the attack. Roseberry faces administrative charges from MPD for using his personal gun as opposed to his service gun.
"They don't want to punish him but it's kind of a technicality so it's part of the course,” Mintz told abc24 news. “Mike's willing to accept any punishment he gets but like his wife said, he'll do it all over again for her.”
More than 4 months have gone by and it's been a slow recovery for Chloe Mintz. Scars aren't the only things left behind.
"I kind of had nightmares that I could've died from being attacked by another dog,” the 9 year old told abc24.com.
The attack hasn't changed Chloe's love of dogs. She has 3 of her own.
"My dad told me German shepherds are really not that mean so yeah, I understood,” said Chloe.
The Mintz family wants MPD to do the right thing and honor the officer's act of bravery.
“We're so grateful and blessed to have Mike as a friend. He really is a guardian angel,” said Nichole Mintz.
In April MPD will present the "Lifesaving Medal of the Year Award" to officer Roseberry. According to Mintz, Roseberry doesn't want any awards and says he was just doing his job. He will be out of town when that happens but 9-year-old Chloe Mintz wants to accept the award on his behalf.
UPDATE: Following Officer Roseberry's administrative hearing, a written reprimand will be placed in his personnel file. He will receive his "Lifesaving Medal of the Year Award on April 17.
