ON June 20, New Westminster Police Department Constable Jon was searching for a patient who had walked away from care several days earlier.

Jon’s search took him into Vancouver, where the patient was located in crisis, refusing to comply with direction that would allow Jon to safely take him into custody. Jon witnessed the patient charge at him, prompting him to keep a safe distance. He engaged in conversation with the patient, and after several minutes the patient was calm and complied with instructions for safe transportation back to his health care providers.

“One of the overarching goals of the New Westminster Police Department is to save lives, and the work of Constable Jon demonstrates just that,” said Sgt. Jeff Scott. “We’re pleased he was able to find this missing patient and safely return him to his health care team.”

If you feel you would benefit from speaking to a mental health professional, visit the Fraser Health website: www.fraserhealth.ca. If you feel you might be in danger of hurting yourself or someone else, you should call 9-1-1 or go to a hospital emergency department right away.