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Officer Jason
Sutherland Named
February Employee of the Month
On
January 25, 2006
, Officer Jason Sutherland stopped and subsequently arrested a man for
larceny of a motor vehicle. Additional charges included possession of
class B and E controlled substances, operating with a suspended license,
operating under (third offense), resisting arrest, and assault and
battery on police officers, as well as several other related criminal
charges. It was obvious from the start that the suspect was not going to
cooperate with the officers on the scene. During the initial stop, while
Officer Sutherland controlled the events with his weapon drawn, the
suspect was busily injected a quantity of white pills. Officer
Sutherland was soon assisted by Officer Heffler and thereafter by
Officer Fitzgerald and Detective Delehanty.
Ordered out of the vehicle pursuant to a felony stop protocol, the
suspect refused to obey the officer’s command to turn around and face
the officers. The suspect repeatedly moved his hand inside his jacket as
if he had a weapon and was attempting to take it out, all the while
telling the officers, “you’d better shoot.”
At some point, the officers determined that the suspect did not
have a weapon, but appeared to be attempting a “suicide by cop.” The
officers were able to wrestle the suspect to the ground where his was
restrained. The process involved appropriate de-escalation in uses of
force until the subject was taken into custody.
For
his exceptional understanding of a felony stop protocol, his restraint
in avoiding what may well have escalated into a fatal incident, Officer
Sutherland is hereby commended and named the Natick Police Department
Officer of the Month for February 2006. Officers Heffler and
Fitzgerald and Detective Delehanty are also officially recognized and
commended for their excellence in police duty in rendering assistance to
Officer Sutherland during a very traumatic incident which was handled
exceptionally well.
Dennis
R. Mannix
Chief of Police |
