Behind the Badge - Mental Health Call
Mental Health Call
District Game Warden Courtney Sprenger
I was patrolling on a quiet day early in my career when state radio dispatched a call for a suicidal male near my location. It had been a long winter, the kind where it starts to seem like spring may never come, and mental health calls were spiking.
The local sheriff at the time, Steve Bay, was recovering from surgery, and I knew the only available deputy was already transporting a different individual for an emergency mental health committal, so I acknowledged the call. State radio informed me that Sheriff Bay was responding and wanted me to wait for him, as he knew the suicidal individual, whom I’ll call Travis. State radio also advised that Travis was threatening suicide with a knife and that his father was currently restraining him.
I pulled up in front of the house with Sheriff Bay just behind me. Travis’s distraught mother was standing in the door, yelling and waving for us to hurry. Sheriff Bay quickly outlined his plan, which involved him taking the knife while I covered him. I didn’t have time to ask questions, as we were already walking into the house. I saw Travis lying on the stairs with his father on top of him, both their hands under Travis, holding what I assumed was the knife.
As Sheriff Bay crossed the tidy living room, he spoke in a friendly but authoritative tone. “Travis, it’s Steve Bay. I’m going to come take the knife. As soon as I have it, you’re going to let go and your dad is going to step back. If you move, Courtney here is going to tase you. Do you understand?” Travis acknowledged that he did, and Sheriff Bay moved toward him, mindless of my sudden panic regarding his “plan.”
You see, tasers were still relatively new at the time, and although some North Dakota agencies had them, Game and Fish did not yet. I had no idea what I was supposed to do if Travis decided to try and stab himself or someone else instead of simply releasing the knife but tasing him was not going to be an option.
Thankfully, Travis complied with Sheriff Bay’s directions. After taking the knife, Sheriff Bay placed Travis in handcuffs and searched him for additional weapons. We then transported him to the hospital, where he was able to receive care from mental health professionals.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. If you or a loved one is experiencing mental health challenges, please get help now; don’t wait for a crisis like the one Sheriff Bay and I were called to. You can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Hotline, which is available 24 hours a day. Visit hhs.nd.gov/988 for more information and resources.