Chatham-Kent police have released a 49-year-old man who was allegedly approaching some students at a bus stop in Merlin.
According to police, he's not facing any charges and doesn't pose a threat to himself or to other people, either.
Officers said the man was pulled over in a vehicle shortly after police got a call about a suspicious man approaching some students in Merlin Wednesday morning while they were waiting for their bus to arrive.
The man allegedly gave three students $50 each and then left the bus stop in a vehicle.
While an officer was speaking to the man, he allegedly began acting erratically, at which point police said he was arrested for his safety and that of the officer.
The man was taken to police headquarters and assessed by the Chatham-Kent Mobile Crisis Unit while officers continued to investigate his interaction with the youth at the bus stop.
As a result of that investigation, police determined that the man had not committed any criminal acts and that he did not pose a danger to himself or to others.
Officers said the man -- who is not a Chatham-Kent resident -- was then released from custody and taken to the VIA Rail station in Chatham where he returned to his hometown.
Police said the students kept the money they received from the man, "treating themselves come lunch hour."
Officials with the Lambton-Kent District School board stressed Wednesday afternoon that they believed it was an "isolated incident," that the parents of the students involved were contacted by the board, and that letters were sent home to all parents who have children within the school board to inform them of Wednesday's incident.
