ROMEO (WXYZ) — Officers Richard Soulliere and James Daves were both working the afternoon shift at the Romeo Police Department Tuesday evening when the call came into dispatch. A woman was concerned about a man at a local business she feared was going to commit suicide.
Officer Soulliere made contact with the caller and someone else indicated that they saw the man enter the woods in the rear of the business.
Soulliere and Daves made contact with the 56-year-old man and he told them that he had two knives.
"He didn't appear to want to harm us," said Officer Daves. "He just wanted to be left alone."
The despondent man then began cutting himself and walking through a muddy creek. And the officers continued to try to make that connection.
Once he got to the other side of the creek, the man was tired and Soulliere and Daves were able to talk the man into allowing them to get him some help.
"They handled (it) in a friendly and compassionate manner," said Romeo Police Chief Dan Sokolnicki. "They weren't forceful with the gentleman and that eases the tensions and that makes it easier for people to come down from where they're at and they realize things can be changed, things aren't that bad."
Thankfully, the man’s injuries were not critical. He's recovering, physically, and, hopefully, seeing hope in a new day.
If you're feeling suicidal or having suicidal thoughts, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
