Staying professional when it really counts

Published 10:14 am Wednesday, August 22, 2018

The recent public commendation of three Franklin Police officers was well deserved, in our opinion.

In the middle of a night last week, Sergeant Karl Boone, Corporal Stephanie Sumpter and Officer Anthony Sylvia were called to a cry for help from a man threatening suicide with his gun.

Using their crisis intervention training and experiences, the trio reportedly persuaded the individual not to go through with his self-destruction.

Within an hour, they got the man to put away the weapon peacefully so that he could be taken to a place for treatment.

The officers’ professionalism turned what could have been a tragic situation into a compassionate one. This is another example of how local law enforcement personnel has shown cool-headedness rather than a panicked and violent reaction to a tense situation.