HERSHEY – A Wayne County trooper who climbed a power line tower to convince a suicidal man to climb down to safety has been awarded the Pennsylvania State Police’s highest accolade.
During a ceremony at the State Police Academy today, Commissioner Jeffrey B. Miller presented Tpr. Scott D. Walck, a 12-year-veteran of the force, with the State Police Medal of Honor.
“The Medal of Honor is awarded in recognition of conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty, despite an imminent risk to life,” Miller said. “Trooper Walck’s heroism exemplifies the highest traditions of the Pennsylvania State Police.”
A member of the patrol unit at the Honesdale station of Troop R, Walck was dispatched on June 26, 2005, to the Hawley area, where a 21-year-old man had climbed about 100 feet up a metal tower and said he was going to kill himself by touching a power line with a golf club.
Disregarding his personal safety, Walck climbed the tower to talk with the man. Initially, Walck’s actions caused the subject to climb higher, but when Walck took off his duty belt, the subject allowed the trooper to get closer.
Walck continued talking with the subject, who came down a few steps in exchange for water. After about 90 minutes of discussion, the individual said he would climb down if Walck gave him his ballistic vest.
Miller said Walck took off his vest and gave it to the subject, who then immediately climbed down the tower. The individual was taken to a Carbondale hospital for a mental health evaluation.
A utility company spokesman later told state police that if the individual had climbed within 15 feet of the top of the tower, both the individual and Walck would have been electrocuted.
“Trooper Walck’s swift actions and disregard for his own personal safety brought the situation to a successful conclusion without harm or loss of life,” Miller said.
Walck and his wife, Linda, live in Hamlin, Wayne County. They have four sons.