CLEVELAND, Ohio — University Circle Patrol Officer Joe Fazio, Badge No. 44, has been awarded the Life Saving Award from the American Police Hall of Fame after de-escalating the same man from a suicide crisis on two consecutive days, according to WKYC.

On Jan. 16, 2026, UCPD Dispatch received word via the Cleveland Division of Police’s 3rd District of a suicidal male on the eighth floor of the Veterans Administration employee parking garage. Fazio was first on scene and made contact with the man, who approached the garage wall and gestured that he intended to jump on two separate occasions.

Through de-escalation and building a rapport with the man, Fazio successfully talked him to safety. His supervisor, Sgt. Tim Caine, who also assisted on scene, submitted the award nomination, writing: “Ptl. Fazio did an excellent job with his de-escalation skills and his ability to build a rapport with this male who was clearly in crisis.”

The following day, Jan. 17, the same man was discharged from the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center and walked directly back to the eighth floor of the same garage to the exact same spot, with the same intentions. Fazio responded, de-escalated the situation again, and took the man into protective custody.

Caine sent a follow-up email referencing the case: “This is the 2nd time in 2 days Ptl. Fazio did an exemplary job in a tense and volatile situation with an individual in crisis.”

“I made contact with him, just let him know I was there to help, and tried to work towards that end goal of getting him somewhere safe,” Fazio told WKYC in an interview.

Fazio has been a patrol officer with the University Circle Police Department, which serves the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Case Western Reserve University, and the Cleveland VA Medical Center. His approach to crisis intervention reflects a growing emphasis on de-escalation training across law enforcement.

Beyond the American Police Hall of Fame award, Fazio is also set to receive the ADAMHS Board Helping Hands Award, which honors individuals who improve the quality of life for people with mental health and addiction challenges.

Why the story matters

The incident highlights the role law enforcement plays in mental health crisis response, where officers increasingly serve as first-line intervention before clinical care arrives. Not every lifesaving moment involves CPR or a burning vehicle. Some happen on a parking garage ledge, built on trust established in minutes.

For Support Law Enforcement readers, this recognition is a reminder that de-escalation is a real skill — one that can save a life twice in two days when it is done right.

Sources reviewed

Editorial note: ThinBlueNews used a real WKYC video still of Officer Fazio; no staged or AI-generated rescue imagery was used. The individual in crisis remains anonymous, and no private medical details beyond the public reporting have been included.