The job of a police officer is rarely routine. "You come here every day and you don't know what the day is going to bring," explained Stamford Police Officer Ernie Leslie.

On May 28, it brought a first for Leslie and Officer Joe Zoppi when a call came in over the radio just before noon. “A 20-year-old male who was inside the Stamford mall, ninth floor, appeared to be ready to jump,” Zoppi stated. “Just figured this is something we've got to go to now,” Leslie said.

The two activated their lights with Leslie leading the way. He grew up in Stamford and knew the fastest way to get to the person in crisis was through the garage entrance on Greyrock Place to the third-floor elevator. “We could see the male standing on an elevated platform as we were going up,” Zoppi told News 12.

When the two officers got to the ninth floor, each approached from a different side. Zoppi got their first.

“As I approached him from behind all I did was, 'Hey man, what's going on, are you OK?' I didn't want to talk too much, and I didn't want to talk too little,” Zoppi recalled. “Got up to him, grabbed his hand, and I felt his body go limp, which posed a dangerous situation for the both of us.”

Leslie said he focused on keeping the man’s attention on him, so he didn’t lunge forward. “He just seemed extremely distressed and just, you know, you never know what's going through somebody's mind, so we're just trying to secure him and let him know that we're here, and everything is going to be OK,” Leslie explained. “He was sweating. He was crying. And when I grabbed his hand, I felt the opportunity to put my left arm around him and pull him to safety,” Zoppi told News 12.

EMS responded and took the man to the hospital for evaluation and treatment. The police department has a Behavioral Health Unit, which is made up of officers and social workers, and follows up on cases like this one, offering services and help if needed.

Leslie and Zoppi credit their training for part of the reason they were able to save a life.

“It's good to know that, you know, you affected somebody in that way,” Leslie said.

“It's an incredible feeling,” stated Zoppi.

Both officers recently received awards from the Stamford Police Commission for their heroic actions.