Patton State Hospital Police Officer

Department of Mental Health

3/19/2009

Special Act Award (Gold)

On March 19, 2009, Patton State Hospital Police Officer Edward Dale Bass, Jr. was off duty and driving home from work on State Route 330, in the Twin Peaks area of San Bernardino County. During his commute, he came upon a car accident in the middle of the road. As Officer Bass approached the car in an attempt to render aid, he was met by a distraught man holding a handgun inside the car with a two year old child. Upon seeing this, Officer Bass took cover, pulled out his own gun, and began giving the man commands to drop his gun. Officer Bass was able to convince the man to drop his gun, but the man said he had more guns inside the car with him and was refusing to surrender. He repeatedly asked Officer Bass to shoot him. Officer Bass instructed a passerby to call 911, continued to keep the man at gun point, and kept citizens and medical responders at a safe distance until back-up assistance could arrive. Once CHP Officers arrived and after a short stand-off, Officer Bass and the CHP took the man into custody. It was later learned that the man had kidnapped his wife and two children, with the intent to kill them all in the mountains off of State Route 330. Just prior to Officer Bass arriving at the crash scene, the man had shot at his wife who ran from the car with her older son and hid in the woods. She had not been able to rescue her youngest child who was still in the car when the man lost control and crashed. After the man was taken into custody, Officers discovered two more handguns, a rifle and several rounds of ammunition in the car. The actions of Officer Bass, without regard for his personal safety, prevented what could have been a disastrous situation resulting in possible injury or loss of lives.