Police officers intervened in a suicide attempt March 24 on the pier at Bishop Park in Wyandotte.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
WYANDOTTE – Police officers prevented a suicide in the predawn period March 24 at Bishop Park, where a man was preparing to jump over the pier railing into the Detroit River.
Deputy Police Chief Archie Hamilton said the man was positioned on the far south end of the pier, which made it challenging for the police officers to approach him.
“The man was experiencing an emotional overload, which was recognized by the officers,” he said. “As a result, the lead officer calmly interacted with the man while inching closer to his position.”
Hamilton said the police officer used de-escalation techniques until he had an opportunity to grab the man to prevent him from climbing over the pier railing.
“The man struggled with the officer, nearly taking him into the water,” Hamilton said. “However, another officer quickly assisted with restraining the man.”
The man was then transported to a medical facility for a mental health evaluation.
“The officers did an amazing job of stabilizing the situation and showing the man that they truly cared about his well-being,” Hamilton said. “These officers are highly trained in crisis intervention techniques; however, there is no training that can teach the genuine empathy these officers displayed.”