Clarkstown Dispatcher Tracked Potential Suicidal Man (VIDEO)

In January, Clarkstown Police Dispatcher Brian Duddy put a trace on a resident’s cell phone after a domestic incident during which the man made suicidal threats in a voicemail. When he learned the man had a girlfriend in Fort Lee, NJ he notified that community’s police department and alerted the NY/NJ Port Authority Police to the possibility that the man could be in the vicinity of the George Washington Bridge and provided a description.  Port Authority police soon found the emotionally disturbed man mid span on the bridge and sent him for medical evaluation.

Duddy is being credited with saving the man’s life. He is being recognized for his work with the Life Saving Award from the Rockland County 911 Dispatchers Association on Saturday and was acknowledged on Monday at the county’s announcement of Rockland County 911 Dispatchers Week, April 14^th through April 20^th.

Duddy said suicidal calls are part of what dispatchers must be prepared for. 

“We do get them quite frequently,” he said. “Most of the time the people don’t go ahead with the threat. But you just never know. If somebody makes a threat you have to take it they may do something. In this case, it was a positive outcome.” 

Duddy, who has been a dispatcher for five years, was nominated by the Clarkstown Police Department.

“It’s part of the job,” Duddy explained. “You never know when you pickup that phone what kind of a call you’re going to be handling. Something as simple as a burglar alarm or something a little complex where you’re tracking someone’s cell phone because they made a threat to commit suicide.”  

The county and 911 Dispatchers Association also recognized the dispatchers in the Ramapo Police Department’s Communication Center. The dispatchers will receive the “Dispatcher of the Year Award” for their response during and after Hurricane Sandy when the call volume multiplied and lack of power for five days left them with deteriorating working conditions.