For recently saving the life of a Ceres boy, Ceres Police Officer Ron Collins was given the Chief's Award pin during Monday's Ceres City Council meeting.

"Officer Collins, without doubt, was solely responsible for the saving of the life of a five-year-old boy," said deWerk during the awards presentation at the outset of the council meeting held at the Ceres Community Center.

The boy had apparently choked in the 1500 block of Moffet Road on a large piece of Snickers candy bar that became lodged in his throat and obstructed his air passage. The boy was unconscious when Collins arrived. The officer immediately began applying abdominal thrusts to dislodge the candy and was then transported to the hospital where he was released the next day.

"Ron pretty much saved him," commented Lt. Brent Smith.

DeWerk said the award is "a big deal" and is only given to officers or firefighters "who do something extraordinary."

"He's an experienced officer and everybody could say, 'Oh, he knew what to do,'" said deWerk, "...but the fact is when you see a child who is literally dying in front of you, thinking isn't always that clear. But for him in this instance he knew exactly what to do."