L.A. County Launches Ambitious Plan To Help Police Better Respond To Mentally Ill
The number of 911 calls to the sheriff's department involving mentally ill people has surged by 55 percent since 2010. To help officers handle the influx, the plan would increase the number of mental health teams and put many of the agency’s 9,000 deputies through a week-long training.
Los Angeles Times:
Across L.A. County, Law Enforcement Looks For Resources To Deal With The Mentally Ill
At a time when law enforcement is under intense public scrutiny for high-profile shootings of civilians, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is one of many agencies nationwide looking to better equip officers to handle the mentally ill people they face on the streets every day. In some places, the changes have been in the works for years but have been hampered by a lack of funding. Within a patchwork mental health system that offers little in the way of long-term care, law enforcement is a crucial first line of defense. (Chang, 6/20)