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Man Threatens Cops, Cops Respond By Helping Him

GALT (CBS13) — Intense moments for officers in Galt after a man threatens to shoot law enforcement before turning the gun on himself.

The dangerous situation, police said is something officers deal with on a regular basis and the outcome often ends in so many different ways.

Several of the streets surrounding Emerald Vista Park were closed as officers negotiated with the man they say was having a mental breakdown.

Law enforcement has changed dramatically since Galt Police Chief Todd Sockman joined the force 30 years ago, from the training to how officers react to situations.

"We handle tens of thousands of calls every single year, right here in the City of Galt, and it's across the nation—hundreds of thousands of calls and use of force is always the last resort. It's what you want to avoid on every single call."

The priority is always having a peaceful resolution whether or not officers know what they are walking into.

On Sunday, they responded to a man who told dispatchers he was armed with a handgun and was going to kill himself in a park after he shot police.

"We spent a great deal of time trying to talk to him and try to work with him. It was obvious that it wasn't effective. The two-way communication really wasn't working," he said.

After an hour of failed negotiations, police used less lethal force to bring the man into custody. The chief said the actions of officers are usually dictated by the person they are trying to arrest.

"I worked security when I was in the military and you never know what is around the corner," said resident Robert Bell.

Bell lives nearby. He said officers in Galt are very protective of citizens and go out of their way to help them as much as they can, even after encountering difficult and dangerous scenes.

"It's very tough. You take a lot of it home with you and it's rough on the families," he said.

Police said it was the compassion of the men and women who responded to the call that helped save the man who wanted to hurt them. Officers didn't find a gun.

The man, they said is now getting the help he needs.

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