I’m 5 months into policing in Australia and I went to my first deceased on Saturday night. An 89 year old male had died in his bed and was around two weeks decomposed. It was the first dead body I’ve seen in my life (I’m 26 years old for context) and haven’t had much death in the family. It was a bit strange. Death doesn’t bother me, but the smell was horrendous, and I assisted with moving his arms and hands to take fingerprint photos. I knew I’d have to do it someday.

And then last night, to add to that, I arrived on scene to a concern for welfare at an apartment block where a woman was threatening self harm. Less than a minute later she had jumped from an eight storey balcony and landed 5 metres from me as I was restraining her boyfriend who was going to try and catch her. Death on impact and she didn’t make any noise on the way down. She landed face up too. I probably saved his life because if she’d landed on him, he’d be dead.

It’s just surreal. And the suicide happened 200 metres down the road from where I live. Hits a little close to home.