Kevin Briggs

This article is about the police officer. For the record producer, see Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs. For the New Zealand cricketer, see Kevin Briggs (cricketer).

Sergeant Kevin Briggs (also known as the Guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge[1][2]) is a California Highway Patrol officer who has stopped upwards of two hundred people from jumping off of the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco Bay. Recently, Briggs announced that he would be retiring from the California Highway Patrol and focus his efforts on suicide prevention.

Biography

Briggs originally applied to the California Highway Patrol for employment when his friend applied and he wanted to see what it was about. During his career, he estimates that he dissuaded people from committing suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge about twice a month, and had done so since 1994, the year he started patrolling the bridge. By his estimates, he has dissuaded two hundred people from jumping, with only two people deciding to jump after he interceded.[3]

According to Briggs in 2003, a typical conversation starts by asking how are they doing, followed by asking them what their plan is for the following day. If they do not have a plan, he would attempt to make them one, inviting them to come back to the bridge if the plan does not work out at the end of the day.[4] In 2013, he would ask people, "Are you here to hurt yourself?"[5]

In May 2013, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention recognized the California Highway Patrol with a public service award in suicide prevention. Briggs accepted the award on behalf of the California Highway Patrol.[5][6] In November 2013, NBC News chronicled Briggs and reported on his impending retirement. After his retirement from the California Highway Patrol, he plans on focusing his work on suicide prevention.[7] He is also a veteran of the United States Army.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge". Yahoo.com. 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  2. ↑ Adams, Sam (October 4, 2013). "Cop hailed as "Guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge" after stopping more than 200 people jumping". Daily Mirror. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  3. ↑ Free, Cathy (October 3, 2013). "Sgt. Kevin Briggs Stops Suicides on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge". People Magazine. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  4. ↑ Friend, Tad (October 13, 2013). "Jumpers: The fatal grandeur of the Golden Gate Bridge.". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Broudy, Oliver (2013). "The Lifeguard". Men's Health. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Kevin Briggs, Golden Gate Bridge CHP Officer, Honored for Suicide Prevention Work". Huffington Post. May 8, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Suicide risk factors and resources for finding help". NBC News. November 7, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Officer is reunited with suicidal man". Daily Mail. May 12, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2014.

External links

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