At bottom from left to right are Chief Ken Lawson, Jess Halpin, Megan Grady, Julia Litrenta, and Officer Seth Homan; Top Row: Supervisor Jeff Campolongo, Board Chair Scott Badami, Board Vice-Chair Kim Koch, and Supervisor Sara Selverian (Image courtesy of Whitpain Township)
Whitpain police officer, county's Mobile Crisis Team, honored by township supervisors
A terrifying scene ended peacefully without injuries thanks to the hard work of one township officer and a team of mobile crisis responders. A day that could have ended tragically instead gave a young girl a second chance at life.
In a moment that Board Chairman Scott Badami explained “why we love our jobs,” the Whitpain Township Board of Supervisors took some time at a recent meeting to recognize the hard work of a few heroes in the community.
The Board of Supervisors and the Police Department joined together on Nov. 19 and presented a commendation to WTPD Officer Seth Homan and members of the Montgomery County Mobile Crisis Team, including members Julia Litrenta, Jess Halpin, and Megan Grady.
Whitpain Township Police Department Chief Kenneth Lawson honored Litrenta, a crisis worker, Halpin, a vice president of Access Services, and Grady, who is a crisis responder, all at the public meeting.
“Mobile crisis, to us as police officers, is an operation that works 24/7,” said Lawson during the commendations. “No matter when, where, or how, they’re the people we call when we need help for those in mental crisis or with mental health issues.”
The three women help the township’s police, along with other members of its team, and all were thanked during the session.
“They’re able to respond to our community, and they’re also able to take a phone call anytime,” said Lawson, who added that any question, need, or struggle the department has brought to the Team, it has responded swiftly.
Their collective efforts resolved a high-risk situation in the Township which highlighted their professionalism and unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of our community.
On Wednesday, Oct. 9, a young girl in the township was in need of services, battling the consideration of suicide. Thankfully, the girl was on the phone with Litrenta, who also reached out to police, while still speaking down the child from a rooftop ledge.
Officer Seth Homan, of the WTPD, arrived on the scene and worked himself, putting his own body in harm’s way to assist the child.
“He immediately saw where the girl had climbed out onto the roof, there was an open window,” explained Lawson as he commended the group’s efforts. “Seth is 6-foot-5, and the window is like this big. I couldn’t fit through that window. I don’t know how Seth did it.”
Homan got himself on that roof, contacting the young girl, introducing himself but keeping a distance, Lawson explained. As she remained on the line with Litrenta and spoke to Homan, slowly the two gained the girl’s trust.
“They were finally able to talk to the girl for her to at least turn around,” said Lawson. “Seth moved his body in between the two gaps of two roofs, so if she did fall, he would be able to try to stop her.”
Once they convinced the child to get down, Seth didn’t just leave the scene. Instead, he sat with the girl on the roof, to chat some more.
“She was still very emotional,” said Lawson. “All three of you communicated, talked it out, and got her somewhat calm.”
Once safe on the ground, the Mobile Crisis Team continued to assist the girl, connecting her with the services she may need. Because of the hard work of Homan and the team, she came inside on her own, without any incident. No one was harmed at the scene.
Mobile Crisis continued to follow up with the family and assisted them all with finding the plan they truly needed to move forward.
“This was more than just training,” said Lawson. “It is who you are.”
Following Lawson’s thanks, the team and Homan were honored with a commendation from the township’s supervisors.
“On a personal note, I spoke with Officer Homan,” said Badami. “He said, that day, Oct. 9, was ‘just another day at the office’ for him, where he came to work and put on his uniform. I said, ‘no, sir.’”
Badami told the officer it was far more than that.
“There was nothing regular about what you did that day,” said Badami, “it was extraordinary!”
Homan holds a number of titles, wearing "many hats" at the department, as the chief outlined via a slide during his presentation.
Officer Homan's roles with WTPD (Image courtesy of Whitpain Township)Congratulations to Homan and the Montgomery County Mobile Crisis Team, on a job well done.
