Phoenix Officer Rescues Trapped Kitten

PHOENIX --

A Phoenix police officer descended 6 to 8 feet into a storm drain on Sunday to rescue a trapped kitten.

Ernesto Amparan, Cameron Wells and other officers rushed to an injured animal radio call in the area of East Greenway Parkway and East Greenway Road.

The officers called for assistance from other Phoenix agencies but they received no response, said Detective James Holmes.

Police called for help from animal control personnel but once those staffers arrived, they were stumped.

In the end, Amparan grabbed his flashlight and descended into the sewer. The sewer was not only very dark, but it was extremely filthy and crawling with spiders, Holmes said.

The officer gently scooped the kitten out with his police baton.

As Amparan emerged, a crowd that had gathered broke out in applause.

The people who called for help decided to adopt the kitten and appropriately named it “Ernesto”, after the heroic officer, Holmes said.

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