Helen Levesque, an instructor in the Department of Criminal Justice at IU Bloomington, left IUPD-Bloomington officer Michael Smolen "speechless" recently when she and her family attended an awards ceremony at which Smolen and Officer Haley Ciosek were honored for saving her life.

"Helen, we're just doing our job and we're just so happy that you're here today," Ciosek said. "You have your children here. It makes me feel like we're doing our job out there because you're here with us."

Smolen added, "We don't do this job for recognition or awards. Knowing that we were able to help you out that day, it makes me speechless. It's a good feeling inside to know that that day we did some good."

Levesque offered very touching remarks about how grateful she is for their work and the work of IU student/helpful bystander Codey Thomas, who was performing chest compressions when the officers arrived. Levesque had collapsed on campus one evening in February. Smolen and Ciosek also were recognized by the American Heart Association for their use of CPR.

At the awards ceremony, Officers Nicholas Lewis and Jeremy Haluda also received Life Saving Awards. They are credited for administering two doses of naloxone last July to an unconscious man slumped over a steering wheel in a vehicle. Naloxone, which is used to treat narcotic overdoses, revived the man.

The ceremony was held in the Henke Spirit of '76 Room in Assembly Hall, and was attended by family and friends of those honored. New IUPD-Bloomington Officer Mark Norris was sworn in during the ceremony. Eight officers also received Meritorious Service Awards for their contributions as Field Training Officers to the training of 11 new officers in a remarkably short time period. The following received awards:

• Officers Hilary Aydt, Randall Frye and Ryan Skaggs; Sergeants Kyle Moulden, Brian Oliger, James Snyder, and Stephen Luce; and Lt. Brice Teter: As field training officers, they helped train 11 new officers between March and December 2016, amounting to a quarter of the IUPD-Bloomington division's full-time officers. This was considered a remarkably condensed time period for this number of officers.

Superintendent Benjamin Hunter, IUPD-Bloomington Chief Laury Flint and IUPD-Bloomington Deputy Chief Doug Johnson commented during the ceremony.

"We are here to celebrate those who made a conscious decision to go above and beyond, to selflessly render assistance under extreme circumstances without thought of recognition," Flint said. "Law enforcement is a noble profession rooted in the strong desire to protect and serve. These officers have consistently exhibited a positive attitude in their efforts to improve IUPD, the campus and community."

Check out IUPD-Bloomington on Facebook for pictures and a video from the ceremony.