Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 4014 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: AUGUST 2016 T hese days when you flip through the newspaper (read: checking Facebook and Twitter) you can’t get far without reading a story about a bunch of big-hearted cops saving a kid from an unattended birthday party. In Northport, Florida re- cently, officers heard about an autistic boy who was facing the prospect of no one showing up to his par- ty. So they all went and made eight-year-old Daniel Nicastroa’s birthday one to remember. “We could all use a happy story right about now. Got this nice photo and note today. Glad we could assist,” the department posted on Facebook. Daniel has a tough time connecting with other kids because of his autism. “In my opinion it kinda puts a tag on kids, and it’s not fair,” Daniel’s father, Daniel Nicastro, told report- ers with WFLA News. “No one called to say they were coming to his birthday party. Both myself and his father were heartbroken,” Carolyn Nicastro said. “It’s hard when no one shows up. His father and I remem- bered the past two years when no one showed up for his birthday parties. He would spend the day crying that he had no friends. We could not let that happen again.” Daniel’s parents knew the kid loved cops and thinks they’re superheroes so they took a chance and made some calls. “The police is my favorite characters. They save peo- ple from getting damaged or like stopping robbers rob- bing a bank,” eight -year-old Daniel said. Daniel’s parents were hop- ing maybe a couple officers would show up. Instead, so many arrived at the door that the parents thought there must have been a major call in the neighborhood. “I was actually like, ‘Oh my God, what’s going on?’” the little boy’s dad remem- bered. “[We wanted] to make that boy’s day, spread good cheer; let him know that he is appreciated, that we did want to attend,” North Port Police Sgt. Paul Neugebauer Cops save autistic kid Cops save autistic kid from empty birthday party from empty birthday party Classy move wins many fans on social media said. “Children with challenges and such don’t need to feel left out more than they already are. So if he views us as superheroes, the least thing we can do is show up at his party and make his day.” Andalltheofficersbrought gifts too. “I can’t thank the police enough. I never will be able to, and he’ll never forget this birthday because of it I’m sure,” Daniel Nicastro said. Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. – Dalai Lama In Iowa recently, quick acting and selfless law en- forcement officers saved a suicidal man who had jumped into the Des Moines River. A woman called the Es- therville Police to say her father told her he was going to the river to drown him- self. Police located him along the river while he was ap- parently still thinking about it. The officers spent a full 30 minutes trying to talk him out of it before the guy jumped. Thankfully an officer equipped with water rescue gear jumped in after him and was able to pull him to shore. Members of the Esther- ville Police Department as well as the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office helped get the man out of the water and to safety. He was taken to a local hospital for a mental evaluation. No charges are expected to be filed. Suicide in the United States has surged to the high- est levels in nearly 30 years, a federal data analysis has found, with increases in every age group except the elderly. The suicide rate for middle-aged women, ages 45 to 64, has increased by 63 percent over the last 30 years. For middle aged men the increase was 43 percent. The overall suicide rate rose by 24 percent from 1999 to 2014, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Situational awareness Police get wet to save a jumper