STAATSBURG – Specialized units from the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office spent two hours Wednesday night negotiating with a man believed to be suicidal who was on a sailboat on the Hudson River near Norrie Point. Deputies were originally dispatched to the area of the Environmental Center at Mills Norrie State Park at approximately 6:05 p.m. on October 25 for the report of a vessel possibly in distress. The sailboat had run aground, according to the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon arrival, it was determined that a suicidal man was likely aboard the large sailboat and he was possibly armed.
Because of the location of the boat in the cove of the river, members of the sheriff’s Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) unit arrived and launched drones to give the scene command a better view of the vessel and the overall area. With no area lighting, the spotlights on the drones provided a much brighter view of the boat. When complete darkness arrived, the thermal imaging cameras were used. The drones were playing a looped message over the speakers saying “This is the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office – Please contact 911 to say you are okay.” The message repeated itself at 20-second intervals.
“Members of the sheriff’s Marine and Crisis Negotiation Units arrived at the scene to assist in a peaceful resolution,” Detective Sergeant Adam Harris told Mid-Hudson News at the scene. “Our members will work as long as it takes to get the individual the help they need while maintaining safety for our staff.”
As a negotiator continued attempts to make contact, members of the ESU (SWAT) unit responded and geared up to get to the anchored sailboat and board it to retrieve the occupant. With drones overhead lighting up the boat, the sheriff’s boat, Enforcer 1, launched from the environmental center carrying members of the ESU unit. The deputies slowly and quietly made their way to the boat and boarded it, taking the man into custody without incident.
Two handguns were recovered from the man’s boat.
The subject was returned to shore where he was evaluated by EMS personnel before being transported to MidHudson Regional Hospital for further treatment and evaluation.
“The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office UAS (Drone) Unit, Marine Unit, Emergency Services Unit, and Crisis Negotiation Unit are highly trained assets that routinely deploy for emergencies at a moment’s notice,” Harris explained. “The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office UAS unit utilizes the most advanced public safety aircraft and trains monthly for scenarios just like this one.”
The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office UAS Unit currently has 22 unmanned aircraft used by deputies who received specialized training to deploy for various emergencies throughout the County.
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