A Paterson police officer rescued a woman who nearly went over the Paterson Great Falls.

Officer Eric El-Zind says he was on his post early Monday morning when a bystander alerted him of a woman making her way down the rocks headed into the Passaic River near the Paterson Great Falls.

"By the time I got to the water's edge, I actually saw her slipping down what I thought was deep pocket water. So, I took off my vest because I wasn't trying to drown, and I just started running towards her," said Officer El-Zind.

It wasn't something he was required to do, but years of experience as a lifeguard and EMT allowed him to do it safely.

"It was just instinct, I just reacted," he said.

Officer El-Zind was able to pull her back over the gate and into safety as other first responders came to assist.

"It's not a normal thing for my members to jump in the river in the middle of the night," said Detective Angel Jimenez, who is also the Paterson PBA president. "It was a very dangerous thing he did, but he did it in order to save a life. I'm very proud of him."

Officer El-Zind, who has been with the department for about 3 ½ years, says he's just glad he could help.