By Mark Reilly – Vulnerability Inspector, West Mercia Police

Trigger warning: The following story talks about suicide could be potentially upsetting and trigger an individuals own memories or experience.

One late evening in January 2018, I was the Force Duty Inspector responsible for risk assessing every incident that came into West Mercia Police.

My role was to risk assess every incident that had any threat, harm or risk to any person or property. Incidents include those that have violence, weapons or threats to self-harm/suicide. I’d ensure the right officers were deployed to serious incidents such as a murder or a serious assault, for example.

One incident that evening has stayed with me ever since. It wasn’t an incident where I needed to deploy armed officers. It wasn’t an incident where I had to evacuate buildings due to terrorist threats. It was an incident where one person in crisis was threatening to jump from a bridge in Shrewsbury into the River Severn.

It was a dark, cold and very wet winter evening. The lady was at rock bottom. She had recently experienced many difficulties and felt unable to cope which led her to believe that her life was no longer worth living. She was standing on the wrong side of a bridge looking down into a freezing cold river some distance below. 

Cars were driving by. Tooting horns could be heard along with the splashes of puddles as drivers were eager to continue their own journeys. To the person in crisis, this just echoed around in her head along with the dark thoughts of suicide.

The call came into the Police Control Room. A man said he had pulled over on a bridge somewhere in Shrewsbury and could see a young woman standing on the other side of the bridge. He was on his own and asked for Police support. He said he’d keep his phone on to give direction, but would approach the lady to see if she was OK.

The Police Controller on the other end of the phone could hear the man speaking to the woman. He was calm, polite and empathetic. He asked her if she was OK and told her that he would stay with her. He also told her that the Police were on their way to help. He could then be heard asking the lady to come over to the right side of the railings. To come and get warm and dry. He asked her about her day and showed an interest in her. Never judging, never interrupting. He told her she would be OK.

The Police arrived to find the man helping the woman back over to the right side of the railings by holding her hand. He still had his phone in the other. The Police Constable then escorted the lady to the Police car and the man headed back to his own car with another Constable.

I was in the Control Room, standing up at my desk, listening attentively to the updates over the radio. Trying to visualise what was going on at the scene. I spoke over the radio to the officer with the man.

I wanted to know why he stopped to help rather than driving by like so many others did. His answer gave me a sense of pride as to why Suicide Prevention Groups are formed.  He explained that he’d taken 20 minutes to complete a little online course from the Zero Suicide Alliance. And having taken the time to do the course, he knew he could not just drive past. He knew he needed to help and ask if the lady was OK. He was so relieved she was.

The same was asked of the lady. Why did she not jump? She explained that she’d been ready to go. Nothing was going to stop her. The cars driving by just confirmed that nobody cared about her, when she’d suddenly heard a quiet voice asking if she was OK. A voice that pulled her from her thoughts. A voice that said she would not be left on her own, and that she would be OK. A sudden sense of emotion and warmth came thundering through her body that someone actually did care and wanted to give their time to her and how she was feeling. She saw a man standing there, soaked wet through in the rain. And she didn’t want to be where she was any longer. She was stronger than that. He held his hand out to offer her assistance and she took it. She was safe.

Complete the Zero Suicide Course

This incident happened not long after I’d completed the Zero Suicide Alliance course myself.  Having heard the answers to my question I was absolutely bouncing with joy inside. The course works. Even if it helps just one person, it has achieved everything it sets out to do.

To enrol on the course and to learn more visit: https://www.zerosuicidealliance.com/training/