Rookie Cop Heroically Saves A 12-Year-Old Girl From Leaping To Her Death Off A Bridge

There aren’t many jobs more frightening and potentially life-threatening than that of a police officer these days. Almost every day it seems like there’s a new story involving the police, and the negative sentiments that the public has towards the police have continued to grow with each one.

Some people have gone so far as to say that the police “aren’t on our side,” an alarming comment that many are likely to share in some communities. With that being said, it’s high time for a positive reminder that there’s still many good cops working the streets and trying to help people.

Cops in Los Angeles County have to deal with a huge variety of issues, and sometimes it’s impossible to prepare for everything. Chris Perez is a rookie cop in South Pasadena, California, and he was dispatched by headquarters to look into a potential jumper on the York Bridge.

For a rookie cop with less than a year on the job, this would likely be a somewhat nerve-wracking situation to walk into. Perez had no idea who this jumper was or what he would have to deal with when he got there. He was completely unprepared for whom the jumper turned out to be.

Upon arriving at the bridge, Officer Perez saw a 12-year-old girl balancing on the ledge of the bridge, which is roughly 80 feet high. Besides being precariously perched on the ledge, the little girl was also sobbing desperately.

Perez knew that he had to be extraordinarily careful in handling this situation. No doubt the worst fears flashed through his mind, like the possibility he could startle her or say the wrong thing and cause her to jump to her death.

“I honestly didn’t even start talking to her until I got to the sidewalk and asked her what was going on?”, Perez explained. “The girl told me she was really upset by a group home that she was living at, and that’s why she ran away…She told me they treated her poorly and locked her in a room every time she did something bad.”

After talking with her for a little while, the little girl started to trust Officer Perez. He was then able to help her down from the ledge and get her to safety. Perez then spent time talking with her on the sidewalk, no doubt calming her down and learning more about her.

Since helping the girl down from the bridge, Perez has helped her to find a new living arrangement with her aunt.

What an incredibly heartwarming story that reminds us of the real purpose of police officers: saving lives and helping people. There’s a lot of good cops out there, and the rookie officer Chris Perez is definitely one of them.

Perez’ story has inspired many around the world and hopefully helped to change the public perception of the police somewhat as well. Check out an interview with Officer Perez below where he explains what happened.

Make sure to share this encouraging story with your family and friends!