This week, a Chatham police officer followed his instinct and training to save a young woman’s life. Sergeant Travis Schaal deserves recognition for taking action during a situation that required professional help. Our communities rely on police officers to protect residents, and Sergeant Schaal went above and beyond to help a woman who was in distress. Thank you for your service to our community, Sergeant Schaal.
Here is the Facebook post from the Chatham IL Police Department:
Sergeant Travis Schaal was on patrol recently when he noticed a vehicle parked with its headlights on near the train tracks in the 200 block of N. State Street. It was late at night, and Sergeant Schaal had seen this vehicle in the same place roughly two hours prior. There was just something about the vehicle that felt off to him. He decided to get out and investigate.
Upon making contact with the driver, he learned it was an 18-year-old woman. The woman said she was “OK” and tried to reassure him she was alright. Using skills and techniques he learned in crisis intervention training, he made small talk with her for a few minutes, at which point she admitted the real reason for her presence there. The woman told Sergeant Schaal she had been having struggles at home and in school. She said she knew the train schedule, and she was patiently waiting for the next train to come. She planned on laying down on the tracks to take her own life.
Sergeant Schaal convinced her to come back to the police department to talk further with him, and she agreed. She was ultimately transported to a local hospital for mental health treatment.
About a week afterwards, Sergeant Schaal later received a handwritten thank you card from her. She thanked him for treating her like a human being and credited him with saving her life. She said she had always been afraid of first responders, but his interaction with her changed her mind. She was very appreciative of all he had done for her.
Well done, Sergeant Schaal!
We are always here if you need us, Chatham.