Marin Independent Journal reports, “Five new officers will be hired to patrol the Golden Gate Bridge specifically to look for people who are suicidal. Between 2000 and 2005, bridge officers were able to stop an average of 52 people a year from jumping from the span. Between 2006 and 2010, the number increased to an average of 73 a year.” At a cost of about $637,000 per year, the newspaper says, “[t]he new officers will be hired, trained and on the span in about two months. The move by the bridge board is the latest to address the vexing issue.” The article also notes that despite a funding setback caused by unexpectedly high construction bids, the bridge district is still moving ahead with a plan to build a physical barrier to suicide attempts.
