On Tuesday, August 25, at about 3:48 p.m., the Cold Spring Police Department received a 911 call through the Putnam County 911 Center reporting that a missing 34-year-old man experiencing a mental health crisis was believed to be in the area of Hudson Highlands State Park. Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Sean Kane and Jared Gramble responded to assist the Cold Spring Police Department.
Deputies Kane and Gramble hiked the Washburn Trail and located the man standing on a cliff ledge. After making contact, they immediately began communicating with him while additional specialized resources responded to the scene, including the Putnam County Hostage Negotiation Team, the Westchester County Police Hostage Negotiation Team, and the Westchester County Police Emergency Services Unit.
For approximately two hours, Putnam County Hostage Negotiator, Investigator Matthew Tunney, remained in constant communication with the man, patiently building trust and encouraging him to return to safety.
Following the prolonged negotiation, the man voluntarily stepped away from the cliff and was safely escorted from the area without injury. He was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
“I’m incredibly proud of everyone who responded to this incident,” said Sheriff Brian Hess. “This was a true team effort that required patience, professionalism, and compassion. Thanks to the dedication of our deputies, negotiators, and partner agencies, this individual was unharmed and received the help he needed.”
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office thanks all of the agencies and personnel who assisted during this incident, including the Cold Spring Police Department, Westchester County Police, New York State Police, New York State Park Police, Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services, the Cold Spring, North Highlands, and Garrison Fire Departments, members of the Orange County Technical Rescue Team, and all Putnam County Sheriff’s Office personnel whose professionalism, coordination, and teamwork helped bring this incident to a safe resolution.
