REDMOND, Wa, January 22, 2020 – Quick thinking and cool demeanors helped two Redmond police officers rescue a man poised to jump from an overpass in October.

 

Steady actions earned Officers Cameron Balazic and Ty Tomlinson life-saving awards at the Redmond City Council meeting on Tuesday evening.

 

On the afternoon of October 8, police responded to multiple calls reporting that a man was dangling his feet off the overpass at NE 40th St. and SR 520. Witnesses said that the man appeared to be preparing to jump into highway traffic below.

 

The bridge was busy with pedestrians, and the scene unfolded so quickly there was no time to shut down the sidewalk or road.

 

Balazic and Tomlinson soon arrived and calmly spoke with the distraught man. They quickly formed a plan to remove him from the ledge as he was ignoring their verbal requests to step onto the sidewalk. At their first opportunity, the officers sprang into action and pulled the struggling man to safety.

 

More resources arrived and RPD’s Mental Health Professional was on scene to assess the man’s needs and get him to appropriate medical care.

 

“This incident could have had a much different end if not for the calm, level-headed actions by the officers involved,” wrote Chief Darrell Lowe in the official commendation. Chief Lowe offered gratitude and thanks to Officers Tomlinson and Balazic for bringing great credit to the Redmond Police Department and the City of Redmond.