Police in UK use bouncy castle to prevent suicide jump

Although it sounds like a plot point from a slapstick comedy, the BBC is reporting on it, so it’s fairly safe to assume that police in Swansea, Wales employed a bouncy castle in an attempt to prevent the suicide of a man threatening to leap from a parking garage.

Local Acting Superintendent Keith Jones told press the bouncy castle was not the only tool in the police’s arsenal to stop the man from plummeting to his potential death. Jones explains:

“The use of the inflatable device was an impromptu idea which came from a local officer, which would have helped to reduce the likelihood of a serious injury should this gentleman have fallen.

“We believe that this is the first time that this method has been used in Swansea and was one of many tactics that were considered in order to resolve the situation.”

The 64-year-old man, however, was talked down from the car park and has been hospitalized. It was not speculated upon whether a standard bounce castle could cushion a fall from several stories, nor was it disclosed whether the man, who was not identified, was asked to remove his shoes first.