WAUPACA, Wis. (WBAY) – Throughout his three years as a police officer, Garrett Colbert has had several encounters with 16-year-old Joshua Erickson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been dispatched to this location multiple times, I\u2019ve been dealing with this young man with some mental health issues,\u201d Colbert said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a constant battle Joshua faces, but one activity helps him relax better than anything else.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I go on these bike rides, these emotions are definitely there, but the longer I go on my bike rides, and the more loops I take around the block, the more my mind comes to ease and the more I feel stable,\u201d Erickson said.<\/p>\n
During one of these moments of de-escalation, Joshua had brought up to Officer Colbert that one of his main escapes when he was having one of these mental health challenges was riding his bike, but the issue was Joshua\u2019s bike had been broken for several months.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had just mentioned \u2018Let me see what I can do for you\u2019, so I tried to get his bike fixed, and I was able to do that,\u201d Colbert said.<\/p>\n
With help from local business Adventure Outfitters, Joshua\u2019s bike is once again fully operational, and just in time for spring.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had a big smile on his face, and he was very grateful when I brought the bike back, so it was very rewarding to do something like that,\u201d Colbert said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I had my bike back, I\u2019ve been out there almost every day of the week; if I\u2019m not working, I\u2019m out riding my bike,\u201d Erickson said. \u201cI go out to Waupaca, to the Chain, to Main, I go everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officer Colbert said he was happy to make a positive impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he can try to de-escalate the situation on his own, and prevent us from getting dispatched, then by all means that\u2019s what I\u2019m going to try to do,\u201d Colbert said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just grateful to have a community and awesome police officers in this town, who are willing to help me and support me during my difficult times,\u201d Erickson said.<\/p>\n
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