With all the news about police overstepping their bounds, this is good

No call is routine, Sgt. Steven Griswold said Wednesday.

What happened last weekend, when Griswold grabbed a man and prevented him from throwing himself off a south Kansas City interstate overpass, proved one more example of that.

"It started out as a stranded motorist call," Griswold said.

Early Saturday morning, he headed to a ramp from Interstate 49 to Interstate 470 in the Three Trails Crossing. Along the way, the call turned more urgent: A caller had notified police that the same stranded motorist had called her, saying he was suicidal.

Like many law enforcement officers across Kansas City and the country, Griswold had received Crisis Intervention Team training, which seeks to improve encounters between public safety personnel and community members dealing with mental health issues.

But that wasn't why he got the call.

"I was the closest," Griswold said.

The 15-second video released Wednesday by Kansas City police shows what happened next.

Griswold pulled his patrol car up behind the man's vehicle. The driver had left his car and was standing on the ramp beside a concrete barrier. The drop to the interstate below, police later estimated, measured about 60 feet.

"I got about 10 feet away," Griswold said.

The driver began to lean over the barrier.

Griswold reacted.

"He threw the top half of his body over the concrete barrier," Griswold said. "I grabbed his ankles before he flipped over."

Griswold pulled him back onto the pavement. Although the driver did not speak, Griswold sensed his relief at being pulled back. Authorities took the man to receive treatment.

While Griswold said he had never had a call quite like this in a 12-year Kansas City police career, he deflected any praise while meeting reporters Wednesday at the South Patrol station.

"I feel kind of silly getting any attention over this," he said. "You don't have time to talk, you just react.

"And then I was on to the next call."

[quote="Eric"]No call is routine, Sgt. Steven Griswold said Wednesday.

What happened last weekend, when Griswold grabbed a man and prevented him from throwing himself off a south Kansas City interstate overpass, proved one more example of that.

"It started out as a stranded motorist call," Griswold said.

Early Saturday morning, he headed to a ramp from Interstate 49 to Interstate 470 in the Three Trails Crossing. Along the way, the call turned more urgent: A caller had notified police that the same stranded motorist had called her, saying he was suicidal.
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Like many law enforcement officers across Kansas City and the country, Griswold had received Crisis Intervention Team training, which seeks to improve encounters between public safety personnel and community members dealing with mental health issues.

But that wasn't why he got the call.

      Police are like many other occupations that require a public trust....most officers....teachers...clergy members...councelors.etc., are honest professional individuals BUT when one commits a crime and/or breach of that trust...ALL are under the microscope and suspicion...This is an example of how an officer gets dispatched to a 'routine' call and it can go to ____ in minutes...

At one time I had a lot of responsibility working for the gubment. The people I worked for, one big boss in particular, was as crooked as the day is long. For instance, he used to send his inspectors to various restaurants to collect food and whisky for an annual Christmas party. All kinds of people would show up for that party... elected officials, big and small.

We had a very reputable contractor that brought large Smithfield hams to the inspectors one year. Rather than make a stink and get fired, I quietly took the ham to a place like Loaves & Fishes and dropped it off. I still coulda gotten fired for accepting that ham, but I think I made an acceptable choice.

Having seen it first-hand, I despise corruption and despise officials that do not follow the letter of the law. As an inspector and supervisor of inspectors and later manager of environmental enforcement, I didn't garner much respect from folks that expected to "slide", but at least I slept at night.

Why do I bring this crap up? I don't know. I just wanted to get it off my chest, I guess.

I have seen inspectors ride up in a car and have somebody bring the inspection for to them.. They sign it off without ever getting out of the car.. A good example was a local contractor who would remove the wires and chairs in the hole where the slab/driveway is going to be poured and move them to the hole next door so the inspector would sign it off the next day.. The concrete truck would come and pour the concrete and the floor/driveway would start cracking after a few years.. I wish the inspector could be held responsible for the damages.. I know in NY, the inspector watches the concrete being poured and takes a sample to the lab to check for hardness and things..