By MELODY JAMESON
KINGS POINT – Multiple aspects of the Hillsborough Sheriff’s public safety resources were concentrated here Saturday, responding to an emergency ultimately defused without any injury.
The situation began to unfold Saturday afternoon when HCSO personnel were alerted that a KP resident was threatening “to do himself harm,” J.D. Callaway, the department’s communications director, said this week. In such circumstances, identities usually are not made public.
Anticipating that one or more weapons could be involved within the condominium community where villas in duplex configurations are clustered in neighborhoods, patrol units began to converge on the Lancaster area at mid-afternoon. Soon, the department’s helicopter was overhead and members of the HCSO Special Weapons and Tactics team (SWAT) followed. All told, more than a dozen officers were on the scene for the several hours required to bring it safely to conclusion, Callaway said.
Deputies secured the area and remained in place as a dialogue was opened successfully with the resident who spoke with officers from inside his home, Callaway indicated. The negotiation, focused on conditions and needs, was conducted mostly by the department’s especially-trained personnel and continued for about three hours, HCSO reports show.
Eventually, officers were able to take the resident into protective custody and transport him for medical attention without any further incident, Callaway said. While hundreds of Kings Pointers became aware of the strong police presence and for hours could only speculate on the reasons, no actual damage to persons or property was reported.
Callaway acknowledged that the sheriff’s office resources applied in the situation combined to become a considerable show of force. However, in such circumstances, when the outcome remains uncertain for a span of time and unfolding events cannot be predicted, he added, the safety of both the public and of officers at the scene are concerns that demand precautions.
Copyright 2012 Melody Jameson