The Tempe Police Department used its new  flotation device on Saturday to rescue a man who fell off of his paddleboard at Tempe Town Lake.

The city purchased the devices this month following an incident earlier this year when Sean Bickings drowned in Town Lake as three officers watched.

According to police, just before 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, officers responded to the southside of Tempe Town Lake where they found a man struggling in the water.

Witnesses told police they saw the man get in the water on a paddleboard. He fell off the board and was unable to get back on it.

The first officer at the scene talked to the victim and used the new throw bag/flotation device to assist him.

“The officer was able to keep the subject calm, while also pulling them to safety,” read a statement released Tuesday. “Tempe Fire Medical Rescue was on scene and able to confirm the subject was going to be okay.”

Officials said patrol officers in the field operations unit are equipped with the new water rescue tool and have been trained how to use it.

“This outcome is the result of good training and equipment for our officers to effectively save a life,” Police Chief Jeff Glover said in the statement.

In the Bickings drowning, at Tempe’s request the Scottsdale Police Department conducted an administrative review of the Tempe police response.

Scottsdale concluded, after speaking to local law enforcement experts in water-related job assignments, that the Tempe officers should not have attempted a rescue by jumping into the water, a city release stated.

Several reasons were cited, including that drowning victims can physically overwhelm their rescuers.

As a result of Scottsdale’s conclusions, the three Tempe officers who responded to the May 28 call returned to active duty following paid administrative leave.