'We need to give them the help they deserve,' Sheriff says deputies showed proper response to mental health call

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Oklahoma County Sheriff is sharing body cam footage of a textbook response to a mental health call.

Deputy: "Why are you acting like this, man? What's happening?"

Man: "I'm drunk as hell!"

Oklahoma County Sheriff, Tommie Johnson III, said they were called to a Harrah home on Monday to help regain control.

"A families a son or a male at the house is kind of getting outraged in a manic period, destroying the house," said Sheriff Johnson.

Sheriff Johnson said one of the deputies in the video was Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) certified.

"He is very well aware of what people in manic states, what that presents, how that presents when you're coming to a call, responded appropriately," said the sheriff.

The action only lasts a few seconds. The man comes at the officers with his arms outstretched. It was not a safe situation.

"We understand, 'Hey, we not only need to keep ourselves safe, but we need to keep him safe as well.' So, a taser deployment was used," he said. "It takes away all your body control and allows us to get control of you because, you know, as things go on, things can get worse."

The man instantly went down. The sheriff said the situation was quick and correct.

"That one got me in the f***ing head, bro," said the man who was tased. "Other one felt kind of good, though."

Instead of charges, Sheriff Johnson said the man got help.

"He goes to St. Anthony and receives mental health resources to get him back right to get him stable," said Johnson. "People going through a mental health situation. We need to give them the help they they deserve, that they need. And not just having jail as the only option."

The sheriff said all of Oklahoma County patrol deputies will get crisis intervention training by the end of June.