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Detective Chris Imperato named April officer of the month after de‑escalation phone rescue
Summary
The Norwalk Police Commission recognized Detective Chris Imperato for a March/April dispatch intervention in which he kept a suicidal man on the phone nearly 15 minutes, located him in the Yankee Doodle Garage and helped coordinate officers who connected the man with medical care.
Detective Chris Imperato was honored as the Norwalk Police Commission’s April 2026 Officer of the Month for his role in saving a man who was considering suicide. Chief read the commission’s citation and described the April 5 incident that prompted the recognition.
The chief said Detective Imperato, working as an overtime dispatch supervisor, identified and spoke with a distressed man for nearly 15 minutes while officers worked to locate him. "He compassionately reassured the male that police intervention can facilitate his access to support services and would not lead to an arrest," the chief said, describing how the detective helped the man disclose his location on the fourth floor of the Yankee Doodle Garage where he intended to jump.
Patrol officers located the man and connected him to medical care, the chief said, crediting Imperato’s calm, patient approach and crisis-intervention training for the successful outcome. "Detective Imperato intervened at a critical time with an abundance of patience and understanding which saved the male's life," the chief said.
The recognition, presented during the commission’s May 18 meeting, highlights the department’s emphasis on training in crisis intervention and de‑escalation. The commission did not take any separate action beyond the formal recognition.
