"Guardian of The Golden Gate Bridge"
Californian Highway Patrol Sgt. (Ret.)
Kevin Briggs
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-People Magazine, September 2013
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Nicknamed the Guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sgt. Kevin Briggs predominately worked on the Bridge- an assignment that would prove to be very challenging as the Golden Gate Bridge produced an average of four to six suicidal persons, multiple traffic collisions, and dozens of other law enforcement "calls" each month.
"People who come to jump don't necessarily want to die," explains Briggs, 50, who calmly introduces himself just a few feet away to the despondent person, in his dedication often standing for hours in bone-chilling wind, rain, or heavy fog.
"I try to find out what brought them to this point," says Briggs, a cancer survivor and father of two boys. "If I can get them to break down, that's a good sign, it shows they're listening and thinking. If someone says they have no plan for tomorrow, I say, 'OK, let's make one.' "
Today Kevin Briggs is active in efforts to promote Crisis Management, Crises Intervention Training, Leadership Skills and Suicide Intervention & Prevention worldwide. His speaking engagements educate law enforcement departments across the country, including the FBI, and he consults and advises major companies and corporations.
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TED Talk 2014: The Bridge Between Suicide and Life (YouTube version)
TedTalk direct site: Over 1 MILLION VIEWS!
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2013 Jefferson Award Recipient for Public Service
2013 Public Service Award, Annual Lifesavers Dinner presented by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
2013 Outstanding Officer Award presented by American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS)
2013 California State Senate Resolution Recipient
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