Lifesaving and Unit Awards

During a recent awards ceremony at the Grand Key Resort, Key West Police Chief Donie Lee presented a Unit Award and the Lifesaving Award to several officers for saving the life of a suicidal man.

On Sunday, April 23, Officers Daniel Blanco and Jesse Young and Detectives Darnell Sealey and Jeffrey Dean successfully stopped an attempted suicide through crisis negotiation. Upon arrival at the Park N Ride, they encountered a desperate man perched on the top floor railing, his feet on the ledge.

During the hour-long negotiation, they were able to determine the cause of the man’s distress.  The negotiating team of Detectives Sealey and Dean carefully established trust and eventual cooperation.

“Their empathetic and professional response was instrumental in getting this man to a treatment facility,” said Chief Lee as he presented all four with the Lifesaving Award. “The skilled, professional response to the situation by these officers are to be commended. Their actions likely saved this man’s life.”

In order to facilitate this lifesaving effort, the entire Bravo Night shift was enlisted to provide scene security, re-direct traffic, facilitate the entry and exit of emergency vehicles, handle other calls and provide the necessary assets to assure success.

“Their coordination and professional response was instrumental in allowing the negotiators to successfully get this man to a treatment facility,” said Chief Lee as he presented the shift with a Unit Award. “This Unit’s the exemplary professionalism and dedication are to be commended.”

In the Lifesaving photo: Officer Jesse Young, Detective Jeffery Dean, Chief Donie Lee, Detective Darnell Sealey, and Officer Daniel Blanco.

In the Unit Award photo: Officers Brett DeHanas and Jesse Young, Chief Donie Lee, Officers Daniel Blanco and Alhiot Valdes-Marrero. Not pictured: Officers Michael Andruzzi, Nick Galbo, Igor Kasyanenko, Jesse Torrecillas and Sgt. Pablo Rodriguez.

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