Richmond Police resolve incident involving person on Clinton Hill utility pole

Richmond police and firefighters responded to reports of a person climbing a utility pole on Clinton Hill Tuesday morning, prompting an hours-long response, authorities said.

Officers arrived at the area of 36th Street and Clinton Avenue at 8:24 a.m. following reports of a person possibly suffering from a mental health issue, Richmond Public Information Officer Lt. Donald Patchin said.

“On arrival, officers located a subject who climbed a utility pole and refused to come down,” Patchin said. “RFD responded, and officers worked for several hours to get the subject to come down.”

Patchin said a specially trained mental health officer quickly established a connection with the person, taking the time to listen and engage in conversation.

"For 2.5 hours, the officer patiently worked to provide comfort and reassurance, ensuring she felt heard and supported," Patchin said.

After hours of negotiation, the individual came down from the pole around 11 a.m. and was placed in the care of medical personnel.

“The subject was placed on a mental health hold and transported to a local hospital for mental health assistance,” Patchin said.

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