Police Use Bouncy Castle To Halt Suicide Bid

Balfie · 03-01-2011 7:30pm #1

Police in Swansea called on the services of a bouncy castle to break a man's fall after he threatened to kill himself by jumping 50ft from a building.

The incident happened late on Tuesday morning when a man made his way to the roof of a multi-storey car park.
Counsellors were called in to try to persuade the 64-year-old to return to safety while police frantically wondered what to do to save him, if the man did decide to jump.
On the spur of the moment, a police officer came up with the idea of hiring the inflatable castle and rushed to pay £68 to hire it from a local shop.
As counsellors kept talking to the man, police on the ground concentrated on inflating the castle.
Fortunately, in the end, the novel idea was not needed.
After a seven-hour ordeal, the man was persuaded to leave the roof of his own accord.
He took the hand of a female negotiator and was led to safety - to the relief of the cheering crowd who had been watching anxiously below.

Acting Superintendent Keith Jones said later: "The use of the inflatable device was an impromptu idea which came from a local officer, which would have helped to reduce the likelihood of a serious injury should this gentleman have fallen.
"We believe that this is the first time that this method has been used in Swansea and was one of many tactics that were considered in order to resolve the situation."

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