WAUPACA, Wis. (WBAY) – Throughout his three years as a police officer, Garrett Colbert has had several encounters with 16-year-old Joshua Erickson.
“We’ve been dispatched to this location multiple times, I’ve been dealing with this young man with some mental health issues,” Colbert said.
It’s a constant battle Joshua faces, but one activity helps him relax better than anything else.
“When 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,” Erickson said.
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’s bike had been broken for several months.
“I had just mentioned ‘Let me see what I can do for you’, so I tried to get his bike fixed, and I was able to do that,” Colbert said.
With help from local business Adventure Outfitters, Joshua’s bike is once again fully operational, and just in time for spring.
“He 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,” Colbert said.
“When I had my bike back, I’ve been out there almost every day of the week; if I’m not working, I’m out riding my bike,” Erickson said. “I go out to Waupaca, to the Chain, to Main, I go everywhere.”
Officer Colbert said he was happy to make a positive impact.
“If he can try to de-escalate the situation on his own, and prevent us from getting dispatched, then by all means that’s what I’m going to try to do,” Colbert said.
“I’m 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,” Erickson said.
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