APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Appleton Police are urging people who may be struggling with mental health issues to reach out for help from the plethora of resources across the community. This comes after a man jumped from the Oneida Skyline Bridge as officers responded to a call about a suicidal individual over the weekend.
Behavioral Health Officer Ignacio Enriquez says responding to calls like this takes a certain approach.
“If someone is in a state of mind where they are talking about suicidal ideations and things like that, it’s a priority to make contact with that individual and ensure their safety,” Enriquez told WTAQ News. “Make contact with the person, try to identify what the crisis might be about, and then connect them to the appropriate resources to help with whatever they’re going through in that moment.”
Enriquez says the response from the officers involved and those who were immediately on-scene was admirable.
“It’s obviously what we want to see as to how we were able to quickly respond, especially to a very complex and dynamic situation. That just shows the character and the training and the abilities that our officers have, and were very instrumental in saving this person,” Enriquez said. “There are times where they’ve never had any police contact prior, and there are times that some folks have had significant contacts with us. Regardless of that history, we still have to respond to the scene and we still have to make every single effort to preserve life.”
The man survived the fall, and officers managed to rescue the man after he went over the dam in the 500 block of South Olde Oneida Street.
“That jump is pretty significant, right? It goes without saying. And yet, as to how some folks are able to to survive that jump? I guess I don’t have a specific answer to that,” Enriquez said. “When we are fortunate that the person that is able to survive, we treat them medically and provide any other support that can address the crises that was presented that let that individual to follow through an act…That’s the point where other professionals are brought into the picture in helping them navigate through any mental health concerns that the person might have, along obviously with any physical concerns.”
Following incidents like this, Enriquez says officers try to reach out to the individuals and their families to see how things are going. But he says the support systems they’re able to connect with the families can provide an even more important lifeline.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or potentially suicidal ideations, Enriquez says to reach out to the Victim Crisis Response Team, local city or county health department crisis units, or the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Fox Valley.
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