Police Help Knife-Wielding Kid During 2-Hour Stand Off In Somerset County

MONTGOMERY, NJ — When police found a kid in crisis holding a knife, they used their training and skills to create a safe outcome.

"This was an example of the best possible outcome for a bad situation for everyone involved," said Montgomery Police Director James Gill.

Montgomery Township Police got a 911 call on Jan. 13 at about 7:46 p.m. for a juvenile in crisis with a knife refusing to speak, said Gill.

Acting Sergeant Daniel Balinski, Officer Salvatore Intili, Officer John Colucci, and Officer Connor Chapkowski went to the home where they met with concerned family members.

Officers were able to safely de-escalate the situation, by slowly building a rapport with the juvenile.

After about two long hours, the juvenile began to speak with officers who were eventually able to convince the juvenile to safely relinquish the knife and seek medical assistance, said Gill.

Working with the family, officers were able to take the juvenile for treatment without
issue.

"Family members recognized the juvenile was in crisis and acted quickly. I am proud of the work our Officers, our support staff, and dispatchers do every day," said Gill. "[The Jan. 13 night] event highlights the quality of our staff and all of our emergency services in Montgomery Township. It also speaks to the benefits of continued training in the areas of mental health and de-escalation."

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