Barrie police gave credit to the staff at a north end restaurant during an incident where a man with a knife entered the location.
On Sunday at 7:20 p.m., officers responded to a report of a man armed with an edged weapon at the Bayfield Street restaurant.
"[The man] came in, sat down, and started to consume some food that had been purchased elsewhere," Peter Leon, communications coordinator for the Barrie Police Service, told Barrie 360.
"The individual was approached [by staff], at which point they saw a knife and immediately contacted police and backed off ... there was a bit of an escalation. The person's demeanour changed rather suddenly."
As police arrived at the scene, patrons and staff were exiting the building through the rear door.
"Staff did exactly as they were trained to do, notified police, and took the situation really into their own hands and removed everybody from the area so that there were no issues or concerns for their safety or the safety of the patrons," Leon said.
"Everybody got out safely, which allowed our officers the opportunity to engage the individual in conversation and de-escalate the situation to a point where they could safely and effectively move in and make an arrest without incident."
The 39-year-old man of no fixed address was transported to Barrie Police Headquarters where the investigation continued.
He was charged with Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose and Fail to Comply with a Probation Order (3 counts). He was held in custody for a bail hearing today.
"We give credit to the staff for doing such a great job and looking out first and foremost not only for their customers but for the staff members as well," Leon added.
Banner image - file photo - Barrie 360
