Arrest of "suicidal" man in Rushcroft Road

[Frumious B.]

One of my neighbours has just been arrested. He had an argument with his girlfriend, threw her out of his flat and refused to let her back in to collect her stuff. They had a screaming match, her in the street, him shouting out of his second floor window. They're well known for this sort of thing - according to a neighbour he's an alcoholic. Somebody called the Police. I think the girlfriend said she'd been assaulted. An ambulance came but I don't think they gave treatment to anyone. The guy wouldn't let the Police into his flat. He seemed cheerful, albeit off his face. He put on a wig, which he said was his girlfriend's, before throwing it out the window. The whole scenario seemed quite harmless. Then the Police taped off the street, saying the guy had threatened to jump. Half an hour later about eight officers in riot gear broke in, subdued him and took him away.

Maybe there are other things which justified the Police action, but...are they supposed to break in if somebody is threatening suicide? I suppose they looked up his history before breaking in, maybe that gave them cause for concern for his wellbeing. But it didn't look to me as if he was in a suicidal mood. More like a party mood really. His window can't be much more than 15 feet up, hardly high enough to break more than an ankle unless you dive head first.

Another neighbour told me he was convicted for GBH the other day and sentenced to community service. I don't know whether that's true, but if it is the Police might have been itching to straighten him out. I dunno...maybe they were doing the right thing but with Brixton police you never know. Looked to me like bored officers on a slow day brutalising someone vulnerable.

 

[Pickman's model]

Let's see if they help suicide him

 

[editor]

Blimey. It's a tricky thing with potential suicide cases (if, indeed, that is the case here).

Sadly, we've had more than a few threats on this board over the years, and doors have been kicked in as a result. Better safe than sorry, I guess (assuming reasonable force is used, of course).

 

[Firky]

I thought I posted stupid questions and observations.

All threats of suicide should be taken seriously - by the time they looked up his history, assessed it, decided what to do he could well have taken his life.

 

[RaverDrew]

Shit

 

[Frumious B.]

My gut feel is that it was a drunken joke which backfired. But I can see how the Police can't afford to dismiss such things.

 

[Onket]

I thought I posted stupid questions and observations.

All threats of suicide should be taken seriously - by the time they looked up his history, assessed it, decided what to do he could well have taken his life.

There was no definate threat of suicide mentioned in the OP, tbf. Looks like the OP was pondering if that might have been the reason the door got kicked in.