On November 12, 2025, members of the Brantford Police Service responded to a compassionate to locate at the Lorne Bridge. (BR25045923)
A citizen called 911, reporting that a male was standing on the Lorne Bridge, on the outer side of the concrete fence, holding a light pole. The citizen feared the male was going to jump off the bridge. Several officers immediately responded, including a negotiator, K9, and an RPAS operator. Fire and EMS were also requested to attend, and ERT rappel-trained officers responded as well.
After vehicular and pedestrian traffic was controlled, PC Bain began negotiating with the male. He was upset about an issue involving his ex-spouse and remained uncooperative for an extended period. Secondary negotiators were arranged. At approximately 12:55 hours, incident command was invoked, with Inspector Sciberras acting as Incident Commander.
Approximately two hours later, officers noticed that he was slipping from the bridge. At that point, an officer acted decisively, grabbed him, and pulled him back over the railing while he actively resisted. He was a large male weighing approximately 280 pounds, and this feat required a great amount of strength and trust in the tactical rope access (rappel) equipment. He was apprehended and transported to Brantford General Hospital.
Our members, Sgt. Fenton, Sgt. Lehmann, PC, Bain, PC, Kaljic, PC, Brush, and PC Jeffery worked seamlessly as a team to bring him to safety. These officers had the following roles:
- Sgt. Fenton – Supervisor in charge
- PC Bain – Negotiator
- PC Brush – Negotiator
- Sgt. Lehmann – TRA (rappel) lead and instructor
- PC Kaljic – TRA (rappel)-trained officer
- PC Jeffery – General assistance
One of the primary reasons this incident was successfully resolved was the deployment of rappel-trained officers and the decisive actions taken when the male began to slip from the bridge. This action most definitely saved the life of the male and provided a positive reaction from the community of on lookers. The above noted officers worked together as a team and showed the importance of ongoing training of the ERT members and Negotiators.
