Hampton officer’s heroic actions featured in Dick Tracy comic: 'This is impressive'

Angeljean Chiaramida
·2 min read

HAMPTON — Local police officer Haley Magee, who was honored last year for rescuing a trapped driver from a burning vehicle, just made the Dick Tracy Hall of Fame.

Dick Tracy, the square-jawed, clever, rugged, police detective from the legendary comic strip, has been a staple in many of the nation’s newspapers for more than 90 years.

And on Sunday, those reading the comic strip read about Magee, who was nominated to “Tracy’s Hall of Fame” for her actions saving the woman from the burning vehicle on May 25, 2022.

“I’ve never known anyone who made it into a comic strip before,” said Hampton Police Chief Alex Reno. “This is impressive.”

Hampton police officer Haley Magee is being recognized for the heroic rescue of a woman whom she pulled from the window of a burning car in Hampton.
Hampton police officer Haley Magee is being recognized for the heroic rescue of a woman whom she pulled from the window of a burning car in Hampton.

Created by author and artist Chester Gould in 1931, the Dick Tracy comic is now produced by former officer Mike Curtis, cartoonist Shelley Pleger, color artist Shane Fisher, with the help of police adviser and 30-year veteran Lt. Walt Reimer.

As part of the comic, Reimer nominates real-life police officers to be featured at the beginning of the strip.

More: Man gets prison time for carjacking vehicle at Hampton Beach with mom, baby inside

The comic featured a picture of Magee with the words, “Officer Magee, a veteran of the Hampton (NH) Police Department, saw a vehicle veer off the road and hit a tree. Smoke began coming from the engine, and the doors could not be opened. Officer Magee used her flashlight to break a window and pulled the driver to safety."

Hampton police officer Haley Magee was featured in Sunday's Dick Tracy comic as the newest member of “Tracy’s Hall of Fame.”
Hampton police officer Haley Magee was featured in Sunday's Dick Tracy comic as the newest member of “Tracy’s Hall of Fame.”

According to the Hampton police log, the driver of the vehicle was charged with driving while intoxicated.

This isn’t Magee’s first praise since her selfless behavior last May.

Magee received the National Law Enforcement Hero Award from Mag Instruments after the company learned she had used her Maglite flashlight to smash the vehicle’s window to extricate the victim.

Duck Tales: Seabrook police rescue six ducklings trapped in storm drain as momma duck watches on

Maglite’s Public Relations Director Lou Desmond personally flew from the West Coast to present Magee with the award, one of a handful given out annually by the California company. Maglite’s National Law Enforcement Hero program honors individual officers, groups or entire departments for “an extraordinary commitment to upholding excellence in law enforcement activities,” according to the company.

Hampton police officer Haley Magee rescued a woman who was trapped in her car after the vehicle crashed into a tree.
Hampton police officer Haley Magee rescued a woman who was trapped in her car after the vehicle crashed into a tree.

Magee, 28, said she is bewildered by all the attention her actions have garnered.

It wasn’t until someone sent her a copy of this Sunday’s Dick Tracy comic strip that she became aware of the recent honor.

“I didn’t have an inkling; no one called me,” Magee said. “I mean it’s cool, but I never expected any of this. I was just doing my job.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Hampton NH officer’s heroic actions get shout-out in Dick Tracy comic