NEW YORK — Two Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department officers were honored after authorities said their quick response and steady communication helped prevent a tragedy on a bridge entrance ramp.

WABC’s MTA Heroes report identified the officers as Edward Macaluso and Joseph Brienza. The station reported that they were the first officers to arrive after an alert was issued early Saturday, May 23, for a person on the Bronx-bound entrance ramp from the Cross Island Parkway to the Throgs Neck Bridge.

Officers began talking with the person on the barrier

According to WABC, the officers found the person standing on the ramp’s concrete barrier while holding onto a light pole and threatening to jump. The station reported that Macaluso and Brienza recognized the seriousness of the moment and began engaging with the person to de-escalate the situation.

Members of the New York City Police Department’s Emergency Service Unit and Hostage Negotiation team later joined the response, according to the report. WABC said the effort lasted more than two hours before the person agreed to come down from the barrier and was taken to a nearby hospital.

Recognized as MTA Heroes

WABC reported that Officers Macaluso and Brienza were honored by the president of MTA Bridges and Tunnels at this month’s committee meeting. The station described their actions as decisive and thoughtful, crediting the officers with reflecting high standards of public service.

For ThinBlueNews readers, the case is a reminder that lifesaving police work is not always a physical rescue caught in a dramatic few seconds of video. Sometimes it is the patient, controlled work of keeping a person engaged long enough for more help to arrive and for a safer choice to become possible.

Crisis details kept limited

ThinBlueNews is intentionally limiting private details about the person in crisis and focusing on the public recognition of the responding officers. WABC included a reminder that anyone experiencing suicidal, substance-use or mental-health crisis can call or text 988 to reach trained crisis counselors 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sources reviewed

Editorial note: This article uses public reporting from WABC, avoids identifying or adding private details about the person in crisis, and uses a real source-backed image rather than staged or AI-generated crisis art.