Page 17 - WAD Beyond Global September 2018

FEATURE

“It was very tense,” Sutton recounted. He entered the during an emotional meeting back at the corner of Paradise &
hotel room where officers were trying to talk to Winfield as Twain. “I thank you so much for saving my life,” she told him.
she threatened to jump off of the balcony before producing
a gun. Sutton was quickly able to determine the gun wasn’t “We rarely understand how our lives touch others, especially in
real at which point he was able to put that threat aside. “The moments of crisis and we rarely hear from those people again.
nightmare here is that suddenly a gun is produced,” Sutton told So many years later to have that moment where you realize
KTNV. you had an impact that changed someone’s life so dramatically,
it’s amazing,” Sutton said. “It’s about legacy.”
“When you are in such an intense situation in such close
proximity, you use all of your training experience and your gut…. The untold story is how often suicide by cop happens. After
you pray it’s going to be the right decision. When I realized such a traumatic incident, Sutton says there are more affected
that threat wasn’t there, I was able to move forward,” he said. than just the individual. “Its not just those lives that are
At which point she dropped to her knees and collapsed in his lost. It’s the life of the person that was killed but also the law
arms sobbing. enforcement officer and their families.”

“We didn’t need to end it like that. We were able to instead There is no clear number on just how many individuals die
get her the help she needed,” Sutton said. every year from suicide by cop but it’s estimated to be high.
Thankfully, this was one less.
Winfield spent the next many years searching for the officer
whose quick-thinking assessment saved her life. She never Our hats go off to you Randy. We are proud to have you on our
knew his name but never forgot his face. Blue Lives Matter team.

A few weeks ago, she saw Randy Sutton on TV, during a Lt. Randy Sutton (ret.) is the National Spokesman for Blue Lives Matter. He is
Crime and Safety Analysis on Channel 13 in Las Vegas. She the host of the Blue Lives Radio podcast, and author of A Cop’s Life. Anybody
immediately recognized him as the man who saved her life. can become a Blue Lives Matter member and help save lives by joining on our
Winfield found him on Facebook and the two were reunited Membership page.

www.eaglesecurity.eu

GENE FERRARO
Chief Executive, CPP, CFE, PCI, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
email gene.ferraro@ForensicPathways.com
mobile 720.339.3438
office 303.816.1638
City Denver, USA
CO PI 20150, CA PI 21470

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