VPD Chief Constable's Citation: Rescue of Man in Crisis
Channel: Vancouver Police Department
Date: 2019-03-15

It was about 1:30 in the afternoon on April 26, 2018, when officers responded to a call about a distraught man on the Burrard Street Bridge. When officers arrived, they found that the man had climbed over the suicide prevention bars and was barely hanging on.

Officers, including trained negotiators, began speaking with the man, and stopped pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers from using the bridge. 

After an hour, the man turned around and faced the water, and was holding on with only one hand. Officers quickly moved in and grabbed him through the bars and placed a safety strap around his chest. Two specially-trained Emergency Response Team members climbed over the barrier. One officer positioned himself directly in front of the man to prevent him from jumping.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services personnel used the jaws-of-life to cut through the metal bars and pull the man to safety. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

For their determination and compassion in preventing a man from taking his life and ultimately ensuring he would get the help he needed, the following officers were awarded the Chief Constable’s Citation: Sergeant Shawn Bollivar, Detective Constable Brian Durose, and Constables Emily Aitken, Darren Bayne, Jocelyn Deziel, Christopher Donnelly, John Filippelli, Jason Howell, Kyle Hunt, Colleen McKitrick, and Shayne Van Der Hijde.