GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (KDVR) — Multiple agencies are being praised after a massive emergency response was put in place to save a person’s life.
Officers were successfully able to pull a man in distress to safety after clinging for his life.
On Thursday at 12:08 p.m., the Colorado Department of Transportation reported the closure of Interstate 25 between Dry Creek Road and Orchard Road due to a “person in crisis.” The tense situation lasted 70 minutes.
Witnesses recall the heroic efforts of officers approaching the man standing near the overpass.
“I looked out the window and I could see this guy who looked like he was about to jump off an overpass on I-25, and law enforcement appeared to be doing a real good job of talking to him and keeping him from jumping,” radio talk show host Dan Caplis told FOX31’s Joshua Short.
According to the incident commander, 75 to 100 emergency personnel were involved and worked together to negotiate with the man.
“The officers on scene had to come up with some sort of plan. Number one was to secure and identify what the problem was, secure the scene, and stop traffic both ways in case he fell down,” said Greenwood Village Police Chief Dustin Varney.
Greenwood Police Department said 95% of its officers are trained in crisis intervention situations and were able to assess what needed to be done in order to assist the man.
The department gets calls on threats of suicide weekly, but not every situation ends with a life saved.
“I wish this poor soul had not been in distress, but the fact that we value each human life so highly that all of these resources were devoted to saving this person in crisis and that a major highway was being shut down for a long period of time to try to save a single life, I thought that was a beautiful thing,” said Caplis.
Arapahoe County, South Metro Fire, RTD and even CDOT responded to this situation all in the effort to save this man’s life and they did just that.
If you or anyone you know needs a literal lifeline, please call 844-493-8255 or text “talk” to 38255. The Colorado Crisis Service Hotline has people standing by whenever you need to talk.