TPD officer recognized for “outstanding” rescue of distraught woman

(TULSA, Okla.) On October 3 at 4:30 pm, officers responded to numerous 911 calls reference a female, who was standing in traffic and swinging a piece of rebar at passing vehicles along the northwest corner of the Inner Dispersal Loop. Prior to the arrival of officers, the subject climbed on top of the overhead highway signage, which is approximately 20 feet above the roadway. She was extremely agitated, armed with a large piece of rebar and appeared to be under the influence of intoxicants. Officer Sallee and Cpl. Henley accompanied firefighters into the rescue ladder bucket and made contact with her. Officer Sallee established initial communication with her and after several minutes of communication, she discarded the rebar, but remained on top of the street signage. Her level of agitation intensified, which appeared to be related to the presence of male first responders. She inched closer to the edge of the highway signage and began dangling her feet as she was contemplating jumping from the platform. Officer Parrott volunteered to accompany Officer Sallee in the rescue ladder bucket to assist with negotiating efforts. Officer Parrott expressed concern that the barrier of the rescue ladder bucket, engine noise from the fire truck and wind would hinder communication efforts. Officer Parrott recognized the importance of reducing the communication barriers and made the decision to leave the safety of the rescue ladder bucket and join her on the platform. Officer Parrott willingly jeopardized her own personal safety in an effort to prevent the subject from harming herself. Officer Parrott sat within close proximity to her and began encouraging her to discuss the events of the day, which led to her wanting to harm herself. Officer Parrott was able to establish a rapport with her and gain her trust, she described feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and rejection, which contributed to her decision to climb on top of the highway signage. Officer Parrott offered support and encouragement to her, which led to her agreeing to accompany Officer Parrott into the rescue ladder bucket. Officer Parrott assisted her into the rescue ladder bucket and continued to comfort her until they were safely on the ground. Officer Parrott displayed extraordinary compassion for her and placed herself in danger to prevent her from harming herself.