Subj : A Sad Encounter
To   : Mike Dippel
From : Barry Martin
Date : Sat Jul 19 2025 07:13:00


Hi Mike!

 MD> I'm not sure this fits the criteria of this category, but here
 MD> goes.  It deals with mental health issues.

Sounds like it fits quite comfortably in the category of Psychology.

 MD> Back in April, 1979 I was a Detroit Police Officer working a 2
 MD> man car in the area of Belle Isle, an island actually north of
 MD> Canada.  After finishing our lunch on the island, we started to
 MD> leave the island and saw a vehicle with the door open and the
 MD> engine running.  The owner of the vehicle had stepped out and
 MD> stepped over the railing and looking down at the rushing water
 MD> below.

The good news is you and your partner were there to try to help.  The 
bad news is he did jump, which of course affected the lives of his
family and friends as well as you.  As you commented perhaps if he had 
not died he could have been in and out of mentla facilities.  The wife 
and daughter would have had a husband and father, perhaps a good one, 
perhaps an abusive one.  We'll never know, we hope for the best and 
prepare for the worst.




 MD> Mike Dippel
 MD> D.P.D. 1977-1979, when I was put on indefinite layoff status
 MD> along with 1,000 other officers.

Definitely as tangential comments: was that due to the finanical
problems Detroit had?  About that time I was completing college and had
my nose in the books.

Another comment is I think it is better to have a squad car with two
officers as opposed to just one.  One can drive and look out for
obstacles, the other can give directions to follow the suspect plus a 
second set of eyes.  Second one can also be on the radio.  At the scene
those suspects seem to become the Incredible Hulk and a lone officer has
quite a struggle.




                     ¯                                 ®
                      ¯  BarryMartin3@MyMetronet.NET  ®
                     ¯                                 ®


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