NJ Police That Saved Schizophrenic Man From Self-Harm Honored

MANSFIELD, NJ - A trio of Mansfield Police officers were honored with a Meritous Service Aware by the Mansfield Township Committee for saving a resident from self-harm in March.

According to officials, shortly before noon on March 2 Officer Michael Citarelli, Officer Thomas Hill and Detective Michael Camerata responded to a residence on the report of a 31-year-old man having a psychological episode.

When they arrived, a family member advised the officers the man suffers from schizophrenia, has not been taking his medications and has been threatening the family over the past few days, police said. They told the officers he may be aggressive towards police and may have a knife.

When the officers entered the home they encountered the man standing at the top of a staircase holding a large knife to his throat, police said.

According to authorities, he was adamant about wanting to harm himself and wanting officers to shoot him. The officers engaged him in conversation and after several minutes he became less agitated and dropped the knife, police said.

He was then transported to the hospital for a psychological evaluation and treatment. Through their actions they were able to prevent the male from taking his own life or forcing them to use deadly force, officials said.

Citarelli, Hill and Camerata are awarded the Meritorious Service Award for accomplishing an act under adverse conditions with some degree of hazard to life and limb to the officer and where serious injury to a third party is prevented, officials said.

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