[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Controversy has arisen over the appropriateness of police response to an incident in which a woman who attempted to jump was rescued but then jumped again and died.
According to the Jinhae Police Station in Changwon City, Gyeongnam, at 2:07 p.m. on the 2nd, a 119 emergency call was received reporting that a woman in her 40s was hanging from a veranda railing.
The fire department dispatched and requested cooperation from the police, and officers from the Jaeun District Unit of Jinhae Police Station and the Women and Juvenile Division were urgently deployed to the scene.
When the police and 119 personnel arrived at the scene, the woman had been rescued by residents and was resting inside her home with her daughter.
The woman was lying in the room with police officers from the Women and Juvenile Division of Jinhae and the Jaeun District Unit, and after confirming that her safety was secured, the fire personnel handed her over to the police and left the scene.
Some police officers contacted the woman’s guardian to explain that hospitalization was necessary.
While talking with the police, the woman suddenly requested at around 2:55 p.m., “I won’t jump, so please leave.”
The police officers in the room opened the door and came out to the living room, but shortly after, the woman locked the door and jumped out through the window.
The fire personnel received another report at around 2:56 p.m. and rushed to the scene, transporting the woman in cardiac arrest to the hospital, but she ultimately lost her life.
It is known that the woman had been suffering from depression.
Some have pointed out that the police response to the person attempting an extreme act was inadequate.
According to police work manuals, those attempting extreme acts can be responded to in three stages: protective hospitalization, administrative hospitalization, and emergency hospitalization.
If the risk of an accident is high, emergency hospitalization can be enforced by the police without the consent of the individual or guardian.
At the time, the police said they tried to proceed after explaining hospitalization to the guardian.
A police official bowed his head and said, “Regardless of the reason, the police, who must protect the lives of the people, have no excuse for failing to prevent the extreme act.”
The Gyeongnam Police Agency plans to investigate whether the response of the police officers dispatched to the scene was appropriate once the case is closed.
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