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Tactics used by Seattle police to de-escalate what could have been a deadly situation Wednesday may have jammed up downtown traffic, but they turned out to be a more effective than past methods, according to one sergeant.

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When a man with a knife began allegedly threatening people in the in downtown Seattle, police began what turned out to be about two-hours worth of negotiations.

Officers first attempted to use Tasers on the man. When that failed, several blocks around the area were cordoned off with temporary fencing as police continued to talk with the man. That, of course, caused drive times through the area to increase more than usual.

Officers install fencing as an additional safety measure. If you work downtown, please be aware of traffic impacts during evening commute.

— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD)

During an Reddit discussion the following day, one user asked Seattle’s Chief Hostage Negotiator Sergeant Bill Waltz why the incident lasted so long. The Reddit user wondered why police used the methods they did, instead of neutralizing him in another non-lethal way — like using a firetruck hose on the infamous in 1997.

Here’s the sergeant’s answer:

This incident was wrapped up much more quickly, actually. Using force comes with a risk to both to officers and to the person in crisis. We try our best to not use fire hoses on people. Talking is a far more safe option, and frankly, it is often more effective than force options for achieving the goal of having the situation end without injuries. We prefer negotiations whenever we possibly can.

Those negotiations even included family members, according to the police department.

The man put his knife down and surrendered around 4:30 p.m. He was transported to Harborview Medical Center for a medical evaluation.