A man who was allegedly threatening to harm his roommate and himself with a knife was safely apprehended by New Westminster police officers.
After receiving a call about a man with a knife, New Westminster police officers rushed to an apartment in the 900 block of Fourth Avenue at about 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. When officers arrived, the victim had moved onto the first-floor balcony to put distance between himself and his roommate, and they assisted the victim off his first-floor balcony and led him to safety.
“Officers were able to make contact with the man inside the suite,” said Sgt. Jeff Scott. “After a period of negotiation, our members de-escalated the situation, and the man was safely taken into custody.”
According to Scott, New Westminster police officers are trained in crisis negotiation and de-escalation – skills they used during this incident.
“Our officers are specifically trained not to go running in, but to slow things down,” he told the Record. “At this point, the other roommate was safe.”
Scott said officers try to slow down the situation and work through a negotiation period, ensuring that the mere presence of police doesn’t escalate the situation. He said the man came out of the apartment and was safely apprehended after a 10-mintue dialogue with police.
“Our goal is to de-escalate everything,” he said.
After obtaining a search warrant, police officers recovered two knives from inside the suite.
According to Scott, neither the victim nor the suspect suffered injuries in the incident. Police have recommended the suspect be charged with assault with a weapon and uttering threats.
Chief Const. Dave Jansen said he is pleased with the way his officers responded to the call.
“I want to remind everyone that if you feel unsafe we are a phone call away,” he said in a press release from the police department. “I’d like to commend the professionalism and compassion of the officers who responded to this call. I am very proud of them.”
