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A police officer of the Chandler Police Department in Arizona, United States talked a man down from jumping off a bridge by offering him a hug. While the incident happened last March, the police officer’s act of compassion has just recently been lauded by his department.
Officer Aaron Little was recognized by the police department in a statement last June 12 for convincing an unidentified 26-year-old man from climbing off the railing of a pedestrian bridge that spans the Price Freeway.
Their interaction was captured on video by Little’s body camera which was then shared by the department on their website and Facebook account. The incident occurred last March 28 and showed the man holding on to the protective railing of the bridge with the intent to jump.
“Officer A. Little arrived at the bridge and, after developing a rapport with the male, Officer Little was able to convince him to climb off the railing and back to the safety of the bridge,” the police department said. “While this incident is extraordinary, the compassion Officer Little showed is a common occurrence with the men & women of the Chandler Police Department.”
In the video, Little can be seen talking to the man a few meters away and convincing him to climb up the railing.
“Just come up here, buddy, I’ll hug you man, I don’t care,” Little told the man. “Just come up here, I just want to talk to you, I swear. I will give you a hug…”
“My first name is Aaron, okay? Everyone else calls me Ron. Do you want to call me Ron?” Little added. “I need you to come up here, I need you to come over here with me. Can you climb up over that fence?”
“I don’t know why, I don’t know why!” the man shouted as he went lower down the railing.
“You don’t know why what? Hey buddy don’t go any lower, please don’t go any lower. Come back up here man. Don’t you want that hug?” Little pleaded. “Then come up here, I will give you that hug, I will give it to you. I’m not lying, I will give you that hug.”
“I have nothing on me,” the man replied.
“Okay, I believe you… I will give you that hug,” said Little. “Please climb up over that fence, buddy, please, it’s just me and you, that’s it.”
After a few minutes of trying to convince the man, Little finally succeeds in persuading him to climb up the railing and back to safety. The man can then be heard crying as he hugged Little.
“I gotta tell everyone you’re off the fence, okay?” said Little. “I’m hugging him, he’s off the fence, we’re gonna walk back to my car, which is near the food park. Let’s walk that way, okay? Alright, come on. You can put your arm around me, I don’t give a crap, alright? What’s going on?”
The video of Little and the man has been viewed over 109,000 times on social media since the time of posting. It has also garnered praise from Congressman Andy Biggs, a representative from Arizona’s 5th District.
“Chandler Police Department Officer Aaron Little represents the very best of our East Valley law enforcement,” Biggs said. “I’m grateful for all of our law enforcement officers and the sacrifices they make to keep our communities safe.” JB
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