TAMPA, Fla. — Four Tampa Police officers were honored at the department's quarterly awards ceremony for their part in saving the life of an 11-month-old girl after the car she was in was stolen. 

What You Need To Know

  • Four Tampa Police officers received the department's Life Saving Award for rescuing a baby from a stolen car in August

  • The child's mother told officers she briefly left her car in the 2500 block of Siesta Court when it was stolen with the baby inside

  • Officers found the car abandoned and turned off less than a mile away — the baby was found inside overheated and lethargic

  • Department officials say medical personnel credit officers' quick actions with saving the baby's life

“I have kids of my own, and when we opened the door, the child was motionless," Officer Steven Zawacki said. "So, it appeared lifeless, just leaning over the car seat."

Zawacki said he was training Officer Landon Harsin on Aug. 5 when the call came in, but the pair weren’t in service — they were having routine maintenance done on their vehicle.

According to Tampa police officials, a woman reported that she briefly left her car in the 2500 block of Siesta Ct. with her baby inside when it was stolen. 

“We realized this call needed our attention,” Zawacki said.

Harsin said he drove as Zawacki guided him.

“He was like, ‘Hey, let’s go look over in this area,’” said Harsin. “We pull into a complex, he pulls down a road, he sees the car — same tag.”

Zawacki credits the officers who initially responded and put out the alert to be on the lookout for the vehicle for giving a thorough description of it. He said because of that, the bubbling on the window tints stood out, helping them to locate the vehicle.

“We hopped, like, a 6-foot fence just to get to the baby," Harsin said. "We ran straight to the vehicle."

Surveillance and body worn camera video provided by TPD show the pair climbing over the fence and approaching the car. Officers said they found the child overheated and lethargic in the car, which had been turned off. It was shortly after that officers Anthony Hardesty and Martin Pollak arrived. 

“We realized, hey, we gotta get there quick,” said Hardesty. “This is no longer just a search for a stolen vehicle and apprehend the suspect. Now, it’s lifesaving.”

The officers say they quickly got the baby into an air-conditioned vehicle.

“Officer Pollak and I, having prior service in the military, we were able to identify this as a heat injury and what to do," Hardesty said. "You know, cool the baby down, but not too fast. I don’t want to put the baby in shock."

Officer Pollak said it’s not the first time he’s provided life-saving care to someone so young.

“Sometimes, it doesn’t work out. Fortunately, this time it did,” Pollak said. “My son was just born right before that. So, it hit home a little bit.”

TPD said that the baby was reunited with her mother and recovered fully from her ordeal. 

“I think it’s part of the job, you know?" said Harsin. "It’s what we want to do and what we like to do."

“It’s all about teamwork,” said Zawacki. 

All four officers received TPD’s Life Saving Award at Thursday’s award ceremony. According to TPD, medical personnel said if the officers hadn’t gotten to the baby when they did and provide care, she likely wouldn’t have survived.