Lessons for cops from girl's suicide

A video showing a teenage girl trying to commit suicide by drowning in a river in Wangjiang, Anhui province, while two police officers standing nearby on the banks try to dissuade her from going deeper into the water has gone viral.

The girl is seen ignoring their pleas and struggling to keep afloat. The video ends showing the police officers calling for backup, more police officers arriving at the scene and forming a chain by holding hands to rescue the girl. Reports said the girl died from drowning.

The tragedy on Friday triggered fierce discussions on social networking sites. Some blamed the police officers for acting too slowly, while others defended them, saying their lives are also valuable and they can't be expected to jump into rivers without proper safety gear.

The local police responded, saying a police officer and three auxiliary officers had been suspended pending investigation into their handling of the incident.

The rescue mission was without doubt a failure. The police arrived in time but could not dissuade the girl from taking her life. When she rushed deeper into the river, they should have acted immediately to save her.

Some argue that police officers should also think of their safety while helping others. Police officers are indeed trained to help others, but it is not possible for them to save lives without endangering their own lives.

But that does not mean their lives are not important. They have families of their own. If they die while trying to save others, their families too will suffer. While the State will take care of their families if they die in the line of duty, we hope that is never the case.

Also, it is not wise to blame the police officers for failing to save the girl's life. Instead, everyone should wait for the investigation report.

The girl's death is indeed a tragedy, but lessons can be learned from this incident. In the future, when handling such cases, police stations should consider sending officers who can swim. They should also equip the force with necessary equipment to help them save lives. This way the lives of both civilians and police officers can be better protected.