Windsor Police Service marine unit. (Photo by Maureen Revait) 
Windsor Police Service marine unit. (Photo by Maureen Revait)
Windsor

Quick-thinking officers save person from Detroit River

Windsor police are being credited with saving a life in a marine emergency on Tuesday.

"We share this not to showcase officers’ heroism, but to underscore the importance of reaching out during a mental health crisis," read a tweet from Windsor police.

Officers arrived at the edge of the Detroit River at around 7 p.m., following a frantic 911 call from someone apparently having a mental health crisis.

Police searched the area and found the person in the river, struggling in the water and drifting further away from the Windsor shoreline.

The officers immediately began a marine rescue. They grabbed a flotation device from a patrol car, and one officer entered the water to rescue the person, who was about 150 feet away.

The person was pulled from the water, assessed at the scene, then taken to hospital.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has reminded people who may be in crisis to call the local crisis line at (519) 973-4435, visit the closest hospital emergency department, or call 911.

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