An early morning arrest of a homeless man landed a police officer in the hospital.

"This is a tragedy we really want to avoid. This man could have been shot," said Deputy Chief Shawn Burke of the Burlington Police Department.

Police were called to the corner of Church and Main streets around 4:40 a.m. Saturday. Police say when they arrived, 41-year-old Jason Breault was yelling and waving a knife.

As officers moved in to make an arrest, Breault took off running. He was brought down by officers in City Hall Park moments later. During the struggle, place say Breault cut an officer with a second knife he had on him before being taken into custody. The officer was treated at the hospital for a minor hand injury.

"They brought peaceful resolution to an incident that could have likely had a fatal outcome," said Burke.

"There is a lot of security down here but people are still making comments and people are still getting stabbed, so something needs to be done," said Natasha Goodwin, a Burlington resident.

Since December 2016, police say Breault has been charged with 29 crimes, including domestic assault and resisting arrest.

Residents we spoke with say this ordeal highlights flaws that exist within the criminal justice system.

"Incarceration is a very fickle part of our system right now that just seems to not be working. Rehabilitation has really not been the main focus... it's more about punishment and then release which is leading to more problems," said Aimsley Foley of Burlington.

Burke says police departments are working on how to appropriately react to people having a mental crisis or are under the influence, but he says sometimes arrest is the only answer.

"We are constantly criticized, don't incarcerate people, but given the options available, a guy like this defendant... he's safer in jail than he is on the street," said Burke.

Breault was lodged at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility for lack of $750 bail. He will be arranged in court Monday.

Burlington Police union president David Clements issued a statement Sunday night saying, "Too often, the system has failed to protect the public and police officers who serve them by putting sympathy for violent criminals and correctional cost-cutting over the safety and security of this county's law-abiding residents and visitors." He added that "luck" played a role in the good ouctome of the incident, but that "luck is not a viable strategy for public safety," and he questioned, who will be hurt next time?