Cpl. Juan Gallegos was honored during the Durango City Council meeting Tuesday for saving Sur-Riah Gaines-Alires, who watched the ceremony from her mother’s arms. Sheniqua Alires, her mother, went looking for help from a neighbor one night in late September because the baby was choking. Instead, she found Gallegos who was outside waiting for backup to help him with a suicidal man. The officer came in and performed the Heimlich on the baby. While Sur-Riah was choking, it was terrifying, but “afterwards, it was a big sigh of relief,” Alires said. Mayor Dick White thanked the police for their service. “Day in day out, they keep us all safe ... It’s not usually this spectacular.”
