Police Convince Woman Outside Colorado Street Bridge Railing to Return to Safety

Pasadena police convinced a woman in her 30s to return to safety after encountering her on the outside ledge of the Colorado Street Bridge on Thursday afternoon.

Patrol officers encountered the woman around 1:12 p.m. and with the help of the Department’s Homeless Outreach Psychiatric Evaluation (H.O.P.E.) team members, spent an hour speaking to her before she agreed to return to safety, according to Pasadena Police Lieutenant Sean Dawkins.

The woman was taken into protective custody and will receive mental health care.

Those needing emotional support can call the 988 Lifeline network available 24/7 and speak with a trained crisis worker who will listen, provide support, and share any resources that may be helpful.

The incident comes ahead of a meeting where new preliminary concepts of Colorado Street Bridge barriers aimed at preventing people from jumping from the bridge will be unveiled.

The virtual meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 29.

The City has been working with a new design consultant, Apexx Architecture, to study new barrier design ideas for the bridge.

The intent of the meeting is to engage the public and solicit feedback. Once the input is received, the design team will further develop the concepts and return to the community with an update.

The City posted chain link on the bridge as part of suicide mitigation efforts back in 2017.

That year, 10 people jumped to their deaths from the bridge, 22 others either were talked down, climbed out on the bridge or were standing nearby contemplating suicide.

Former City Manager Steve Mermell declared a local emergency after police spent 13 hours successfully talking a distraught man down during Labor Day weekend.

Using his emergency powers, Mermell spent $295,932 on fencing to span both sides of the 1,400-foot-long bridge.

Concerns about jumpers increased after the city approved a Habitat for Humanity housing project beneath the famous structure.

Earlier this year, the City removed mock-ups from the bridge as part of the suicide mitigation Barrier Enhancements project.

The City Council’s Public Safety Committee recommended removal of the mock ups on September 21, 2022.

The group also asked for restoration of the temporary 10-foot chain link fence at certain locations at and near the bridge and continued public outreach efforts to develop new design concepts for an effective vertical barrier.

After the bridge appeared in a Charlie Chaplain film during the Great Depression people began traveling to the bridge to commit suicide.

More than 150 people have jumped from the bridge with more than half of the suicides took place during the 1930s.

To text or chat with Lifeline, click: https://988lifeline.org/chat/