CINCINNATI — Body camera video from a Cincinnati police officer shows the moment officers saved the life of a woman who was about to jump from the top of a parking garage.
The incident took place back in November.
In the four-minute video that the Cincinnati Police Department shared on their Facebook page, you can hear one officer pleading with the woman and offering to help her.
"Come here, I'm going to help you," the officer said in the video.
Eventually, officers get ahold of the woman and save her.
Watch officers save the woman's life in the video below:
Ken Kober, president of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police, said the officers handled the situation perfectly. He said responding to calls like that takes extensive training, but even then, he said it's not easy for officers.
"You can't replicate in training a woman that's hanging over a parking garage that's inches from just letting go and dying," Kober said.
Kober said responding to calls like that can take a toll on the officers.
"We're humans first," Kober said. "That's the hard part sometimes for people to remember when we take off the uniform, these things still affect us."
Kober said resources are available for any first responder at the following locations:
- Pinpoint Behavioral Health Solutions in West Chester
- University of Cincinnati Stress Center
- Critical Stress and Wellness Center in Northern Kentucky
The Cincinnati Police Department has resources available for officers if they're struggling. Police Chief Teresa Theetge said she wants officers to feel they can openly talk about their experiences.
"We have all kinds of resources internally and externally when officers or their families need help," Theetge said.
Theetge said watching the video makes her proud because she knows calls like that can be unpredictable.
"Every single radio run that an officer makes every single day, they don't know what the outcome is going to be. They often have no idea what they're walking into," Theetge said.
At the same time, she said she was not surprised to see her officers handle such a delicate situation as well as they did.
"They signed up to be public servants, they're passionate about their work," Theetge said.
If you need help, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988.
A list of other options can be found below:
- Suicide Prevention:
- Suicide Prevention | Patient and Family Resources
- Depression & Suicide: Depression and Suicide | Mental Health in Children — Knowing the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide is critical in reducing the numbers. Review information, prevention tips and resources.
- Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC):
- Admission and evaluation center for children and adolescents in acute crisis at both Cincinnati Children's Burnet and Liberty Campus Emergency Department
Expert assessment and recommendation to help you determine the next steps in treatment for your child - Clinical telephone triage and response
- Inquiries about inpatient care, outpatient care, community services
- Mental health link to the community including outpatient referral
- Admission and evaluation center for children and adolescents in acute crisis at both Cincinnati Children's Burnet and Liberty Campus Emergency Department
