Editor, the Times:

My name is Kirk Malcho. I was involved in a large standoff with the Abbotsford Police bomb squad Jan. 16 (Bomb squad called for 'costly' impass, Times, Jan. 18).

During the six-hour-long incident the police had to get many families out of their homes and take apart fences of my neighbours in order to extract me from my apartment due to a false bomb threat I'd made while on drugs.

I want to apologize to the families affected by my actions, especially my landlord and the neighbours behind us.

I really want to acknowledge and thank the Abbotsford Police for their patience, their kindness in my treatment during the physical apprehension and the genuine care I felt in their words to me during and after the ugly situation I caused. This had a profound effect on me that I'll never forget.

I also want to thank the negotiator, Ryan, for being able to talk me out of the self-destructive state that I was in.

The understanding of the officers involved is still quite mind boggling. I commend your patience, professionalism and care during the whole ordeal.

I can't thank you enough and I hope that the public knows what a great group of individuals work for their emergency crews.

I apologize for the troubles I caused the public, the neighbourhood and the police department, and the people in my life that were very much inconvenienced by my actions. I just thought I'd write to the newspaper to follow up the story from last week. Many people only get to hear or read about the horrible situations that occur in our communities and never get to know what the end results are.

Kirk Malcho,

Abbotsford