Police defuse violent situation using lollipops

Brilliant police work by the Macon PD:

A Macon police officer calmed an agitated mentally disturbed man who became violent Thursday night using a handful of lollipops.

A supervisor from the River Edge mental health facility reported the 38-year-old man, described as standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing more than 350 pounds, became violent while the mental health worker was checking on him at Overlook Gardens Apartments on Gray Highway at about 8:30 p.m., according to a police news release.

When an officer tried to assist the health worker, the patient struck the officer in the left hand with a broom. At some point, the patient also threatened police with a razor, according to police.

Police requested that an officer with a Taser come to the scene, but the patient became more agitated before the officer arrived. An officer on scene retrieved a handful of lollipops from his patrol car and convinced the patient to trade the lollipops for the razor and to allow officers to handcuff him, according to the release.