Wake County Exchange Clubs Honor Raleigh Officers for Falls of Neuse Rescue

Officer Brendan Vanderhoof had been a Raleigh police officer for exactly one day when he and Officer Daniel Mills pulled a struggling swimmer from the Falls of Neuse River on August 17, 2024. On March 23, the Wake County Exchange Clubs honored both men at its annual Law Enforcement Recognition Banquet for a rescue that tested a rookie officer before his shift was even properly underway and later caught the attention of federal law enforcement.

The call came in just before 2 p.m. Mills and Vanderhoof were helping a colleague on a nearby traffic stop when dispatch reported three swimmers in distress. It was Vanderhoof's first time behind the wheel of a patrol car with lights and sirens. What they found at the riverbank were two young women and a young man fighting the Neuse's current, with Knightdale Swiftwater Rescue crews still setting up their equipment.

Mills reached the water's edge and saw one of the women barely keeping her head above the surface. "It didn't look like she had a whole lot of time," he said. The two officers jumped in without waiting, pulling her to shore. As Mills began first aid, Vanderhoof looked back at the river and spotted a rescue crewmember struggling with the young man. He went back in. Knightdale's teams completed the rescue of all three swimmers.

Mills's account carries a direct warning for any Wake County family planning river time this spring: "I'm a pretty decent swimmer and it was hard to swim up against that. I know three able-bodied young people were out here and we had to come save them." That warning has context behind it: first responders typically handle only one or two water-rescue calls per year along this stretch of the Neuse, yet four people drowned in the same area in the months before the August 17 rescue. At Falls of Neuse access points, respect posted warning signs, stay near supervised areas, and recognize that moving water rarely looks as fast as it moves.

Vanderhoof, who drew on military experience as he sized up the scene, described the decision simply: "I don't really think about whether my safety is at hand or not. I just know I have a duty to act and I have to do something about it."

At the banquet, RPD command staff, colleagues, and family members watched as department leadership recognized the officers for "exemplifying courage, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to public safety." The city's statement credited both men "for going above and beyond in service to our community" and pointed to the interagency coordination between Raleigh police and Knightdale fire-rescue units as central to the outcome.

The Exchange Clubs award was not the first formal recognition the partners received. In early 2025, the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin featured the rescue among its national honors recipients, citing the significance of their response. The Raleigh Police Department said it will continue to prioritize training and community engagement to prepare officers for situations where seconds, and the willingness to act before the boats are even in the water, determine whether people survive.