“THE CLINICIAN” [HN Photo]

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
~ Matthew 5:7

HYANNIS – [HN NOTES & MULLINGS ON THE MATTER] – The call came in yesterday morning – Tuesday, June 21, 2022 – about a man running around the Rte. 132 area asking strangers for help because someone had allegedly accosted him and possibly tried to steal his car. (Both very real possibilities in today’s world…)

Barnstable Police squad members began making their way to the area to assist. The first patrolmen on scene encountered the distressed man in the parking lot of a local car dealership. HN arrived on scene and by this point the senior-aged man was speaking calmly with officers.

But something seemed off… and the call wasn’t looking like a crime scene after all.

It was then a special Barnstable Police squad car arrived containing a sworn police officer behind the wheel and a young woman who was simply referred to as “the clinician.” (I would later learn the clinician’s name is actually Justine Podurgiel… and this was the first time I had ever seen her “in action”) The BPD has recently been enhancing their patrol division and Community Impact Unit with mental health professionals.

Clinician Podurgiel approached the man in a very different way. She didn’t have weapons of force she needed to retain. (She did, however, appear to be wearing a bulletproof vest.) The scene was secure by that point and her posture appeared relaxed and open as she began asking the man about his day up to that point. I believe I heard her ask about how he had slept during the overnight…

Upon learning this was not an attempted car-jacking, I went about the errands I had been running as the call came over… the last word on scene was that the situation appeared to be possibly mental health related (like possible dementia or something else, for just one example..).

Any Barnstable Police Officer who has worked the streets of Hyannis has become well versed in dealing with situations that turned out to be a mental health issue. Ever since I could remember, the downtown area has had its share of people suffering emotional, psychological, and social well-being issues. It’s par for the course in Hyannis. Police, firefighters and even neighbors have learned how to recognize and speak with these challenged community members who have both their “good days” and “bad days.” But having specially trained “clinicians” – in theory – is just one more way for everyone to have their basic needs met.

In regard to yesterday’s scene, I later learned that officers and the clinician were able to learn that the man was in the area with another person. Working as a team, they were able to reunite the man with the person he arrived with.

FINAL HN NOTE: The more dedicated souls we have working our streets, the better, IMHO.

P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is a brought to you by Jethro Tull… [CLICK IT/CRANK IT!]