Golden Gate Bridge patrol officers say suicides are down with new safety nets

Bridge Patrol officers emphasized the effectiveness of the suicide net during the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District's annual public safety event where several first responder agencies showcased their equipment to hundreds of visitors in Sausalito on Wednesday.

Marin County Search and Rescue, Marin County Sheriff's Department, California Highway Patrol, Sausalito Police Department, U.S. Park Police Horse Patrol, and many other first responder agencies gathered on the lawn at Fort Baker with scenic views of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance to explain to the public how they respond to emergencies and keep the public safe.

Steel workers and electricians for the Golden Gate Bridge were also at the event. For several years, these maintenance workers have been installing a suicide deterrent net that surrounds the entire bridge.

"Suicides have gone down a lot," Ciaran Byrne, an electrician who works on the bridge, said in an interview. "Just having it there has dropped the number down a noticeable amount."

According to the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, there were 14 confirmed suicides from people jumping off the bridge in 2023 when the suicide deterrent net began construction. Two decades prior, the average number of Golden Gate Bridge suicides per year was 30.

"We've seen over a 50% reduction in the amount of confirmed suicides, so it is certainly having a deterrent effect," said Bridge Captain Roger Elauria in an interview.

Elauria oversees the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District's bridge patrol team that provides crisis intervention for people at risk of self-harm or dying by suicide on the bridge.

"There are still people who come to the bridge with the intent of hurting themselves," Elauria said. "That's why our operations with the bridge patrol officers are a 24/7 operation at the Golden Gate Bridge."

Because first responders can encounter stressful situations that may take a toll on their mental health, there are some emotional support programs and therapy services.

"You have to think about the cumulative effect it has on an individual," Elauria said. "Over time, the traumatic effects of dealing with trying to stop someone from hurting themselves will build up."

One mental health resource available to public safety agencies in the area is fluffy companions from First Responder Therapy Dogs.

Michelle Detrick, a retired firefighter, started the therapy dog program with Heidi Carman after Carman brought her dog to a Central Marin Fire Department station where Detrick worked.

"When you're in a stressful environment, when you're fighting fires, you're working long days and long nights, these dogs bring you back to being human," Detrick said. "When you touch the dog and when you look at the dog, all of a sudden, you're no longer in survival mode … It reminds you of who you are."

Visitors at Wednesday's event, who were mostly families with young children, got to sit in fire trucks, police cars, ocean rescue jet skis, and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.

"A lot of these kids have dreams and aspirations of either becoming firefighters or police officers," said Luis Villarreal, a community and parking enforcement officer with the Sausalito Police Department, in an interview.
"We're kind of like role models to them, so I am proud to be out here."

While first responders put themselves on the front lines to keep the public safe, Wednesday's Public Safety Day was an opportunity to engage with the community in a more carefree environment.

"The main purpose of this event is basically for everyone in the community to meet the officers, see what we do, get to know everybody, and just have fun," Villarreal said.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.