Baytown PD officer awarded Police Purple Heart after severe injuries in attack

BAYTOWN, Texas (KTRK) -- On Thursday night at Baytown City Hall, patrol Officer Robert Ramlal was awarded the highest honor in his department: the Police Purple Heart.

Ramlal is finally back in uniform after sustaining massive injuries during one of his calls. It's a day he will never forget, and the scars are a constant reminder.

"It's a dynamic job. Every day is different," Ramlal said of his line of work.

In March 2017, Ramlal was responding to a theft-in-progress call, when the suspect's pit bull jumped from the back seat of the car and viciously attacked him. Ramlal said he was forced to pull out his gun and fatally shot the dog.

"I realized my hand was severely injured. My finger was flowing in the wind. Blood was gushing out," he recalled.

He was able to remain calm and his training kicked in.

"(I took) my tourniquet out, put my tourniquet on (and) try to stop the bleeding," he said.

Ramlal found himself in the emergency room with severe injuries to his left hand, left forearm and left thigh. Beyond that, though, he is lucky to be alive.

"The tip of my finger was crushed, so they had to amputate it. They couldn't save it," he said.

Almost a year later, three surgeries and a lot of therapy, he's blessed to be back on patrol now as a Police Purple Heart recipient.

"If it wasn't for God, I wouldn't be here," Ramlal said. "(I thank) my wife, family, (my) friends."

He said it was a great honor to receive the Purple Heart and he thanked the Baytown community for its support.

"Everything happens for a reason. The world punches you and you move on go forward," he said.