HILLSIDE, NJ – A dramatic bodycam video was released Friday by the New Jersey State Police showing a state trooper talking a suicidal man down from jumping from a Route 78 overpass in Hillside.
Last week, Trooper Luckenson Noel was dispatched to the Ramsey Avenue overpass on Route 78 for the report of a person sitting on the guardrail.
“When Trooper. Noel arrived, he made contact with a 39-year-old man in a state of emotional distress who was contemplating jumping to take his own life,” the NJSP said in a statement. “Immediately attempting to build trust and calm the situation, Tpr. Noel started talking, knowing what he was going to say could mean the difference between life and death.”
In the video, Trooper Noel quickly shared some of his life stories while building rapport with the man, giving him the vision to see how his family loved him and that he had a lot to live for.
“Listening, the man agreed and Noel helped him off the guardrail,” the NJSP said of the video. “With the assistance of EMS and the Hillside Police Department, he was transported to an area hospital for further treatment.”