To be honest I started this post after a brief breaking reading the article halfway through because I wanted to touch on that section. It's this type of collective that tarnishes community relations and give a bad name to cops. "Whether they receive training or not, they'll still shoot." This is absurd. The organization is based around the idea that mental illness is not a crime. That concept was never even suggested. It's people trying to start a scene using a horrible event and twisting what could have(because the article never explained the situation) been an accident or a misuse of deadly force in the heat of the moment. All of which still remains on the officers fault. Additionally, she wants there to be another number for family members to call when their loved one who is mentally ill is in distress. However, it was a call in by a witness, not a family member. Where I particularly think Anderson is wrong is about the training being effective. The article tells of training seminars where officers are forced to attend, and some that "change their careers." Where I do agree is that CIT is a good place to start. Getting officers on board will increase their knowledge and perhaps reduce the risk of escalated situations that result in mistakes made. JAY002
I agree police should not ever shoot first. This gives officers a bad repetition even if some officers are not even involved their still looked at poorly. I agree officers gaining more knowledge on limiting stress of a sittion can be an effective training method in handling a event they are going into to. I agree thou some events are taking by calls outside of the family so not always one hundred percent of the time can the entire event be handled correct but shooting in any event shouldn't be the first motive. Eagle002
I agree that training will be beneficial for police officers because it will teach them alternative routes to help deal with individuals with mental illnesses. As I said in my comment, police officers receive extensive training, but none of which specifically discusses dealing with the mentally ill. Additionally, I think receiving the training will help police officers that using brutal force and pulling out their guns is not the answer to resolve all issues. Different people require different approaches to solving issues, and I think it would be important for police officers to receive training to help them understand that and be able to adapt to the different people and personalities. Purple003
I totally agree with you that the officers should never shoot first. That is how cops end up getting being seen as horrible people just because people think that it's okay for cops just to do that and not try and talk to someone down. The officers need to learn how to talk to people who have mental health problems and get them to be calm. Pie002
To add to that, since I went off topic, no one wants to be the one to pull their weapon out and fire it in a heated situation. But thats where this type of training will come into effect. If they can even remember one scrap of the 40 hours of "sensitivity" training while they are vergin on panic, that can make a world of difference and can switch the result from a dead mentally ill man, to a properly deescalated situation and possibly the family of the man coming to help out with getting him where he needs to go in terms of help. Departments no doubt integrate this type of training into their requirements, but the concept of deescalation should be taken into careful consideration to include the mentally ill. JAY002
Officers being trained on dealing with the issues that revolve around individuals, and dealing with mental health problems can be effective in preventing a crisis from happening and helping individuals to get the treatment they need to interact in a positive matter. I also think this important fact that was pointed out in this article that officers are trained to deal with a caution of err when they approach a situation that is occurring if the officers are training to try to de stress the situation instead of reacting in a cation of fear this could make a difference in deploying deadly force when officers are responding to a 911 call. What was also mentioned in this article could be effective in getting correct dealings with the mentally ill is to have another number besides 911 that families could call that way they could get the treatment from an agency that specializes in dealings with individuals with mental health problems. Anderson the girlfriend of Hill who was killed by an officer during a 911 call after attacking out, due to mental health problems he had suffered mentation that officer shouldn’t handle mental health patients, which I could see her saying this out of fear because of her experience. But her idea of having a mental health unit could be extremely positive as long as trained officers deal with the calls going with mentally ill along with these special units to ensure that all individuals can maintain success with dealing with the situation appropriately without resulting with the loss of life. This training that officers are receiving on behalf of Georgia state I believe is extremely important as this will teach them not just de stressing skills with the mentally ill but also with handling different aspects of calls without always using use of force inside can resolve the issue from communication effective. Eagle002
I agree, Eagle002. I think training is a great idea, and we can always better how we police, especially in specialized situations such as dealing with the mentally ill. It's unfortunate that Olsen failed to deescalate the situation without using force, especially deadly force, when it was obvious that Anthony Hill was not armed. gh_blackhawks002
i definitely agree with that because that de escalation training the officers previously had done was clearly not enough cause the officer didn't execute what he had learned and resorted to deadly force. the training is not only important but absolutely necessary. RM002
Situations and calls involving the mentally ill can be fairly sensitive. You cannot necessary treat them exactly how you would someone else on a different call. It becomes more difficult to understand whether or not the actions from the mentally ill are a threat to the officer’s safety, or if it is normal activity for them because of their illness. In the case of Anthony Hill, who suffered from PTSD and bipolar disorder, was shot and killed by officer Robert Olsen because the officer said he felt threatened, but there was no need for deadly force because the suspect was naked and strolling through the halls. Even if he had been threatened, there is clearly no weapon present. Olsen had taken a training class about how to deal with situations like this, but when the time came at the apartment with Anthony Hill, he failed to follow what he was trained to do, and shot Hill. Olsen will likely face trial in 2017, following the shooting in March of 2015. Situations like this one go to show that the behavior that we see from the mentally ill may not be exactly what they seem to be. I think it is important that officers go through training that help them better distinguish threatening behavior from the mentally ill, and maybe study behavioral habits that are seen among some of the mentally ill. This would aid in a better handling of situations such as the one with Anthony Hill, and hopefully it would eliminate the use of deadly force on those like Hill unless it is absolutely necessary. There is always room for more training and bettering how we can police. gh_blackhawks002
I agree with you, even though the officers were trained to handle the situations that doesn't neccisarily mean they are prepared to handle the situations correctly when it is the time to do such. There is no way to fully prepare someone for a situation like this. So maybe diffferent techniques will be created and developed so situations as Hill's won't continue to happen. It doesn't completely terminate the problem, but it does help just a little to figure out the problem and handle the situations differently. Bread003
I agree with you as well, just because they are trained doesn't mean there ready for that situation right then and there. Obviously we can all see not everyone is ready and maybe this is a lesson that police officers should be in more training. I feel that we need very well training for this so incidents like this don't happen. We overall just need to figure out different ways to solve the problem.CRC002
In regards to officers not using force and checking on the person in need, it’s a touchy subject and can go 2 ways. It makes it difficult because, to an extent an officer doesn’t exactly know what is wrong with the person who needs help. The officers are putting their life on the line to help someone when they don’t even know exactly what is going on until they get closer. So, yes to some extent I can understand why officers go straight to violence instead of reasoning the situation down and trying to deescalate everything with words instead of violence. When you are put into a situation like such, it makes you take a lot of precautions because you don’t know what can happen next. Then, on the other hand, I understand the officers who take the verbal approach to calm down situations. I’m sure there are a lot of situations where the person may not be as dangerous as they may come off. Their first impression of their behavior may come off differently than it really is. The person may just need someone to show affection to them and show that they care. Like the last example when the officer started getting donations from people for someone. That’s not in his job description. He is doing that because he cares, and sometimes that’s all it takes for someone to get back on track is just some attention, love, and affection. Bread003
I agree with you that this is a touchy subject. It is difficult for officers to identify what is wrong with the person who has mental health disorders. Some mental health disorders do not look like how it sounds in the book, making it more difficult for officers who have not had real world experiences involving these disorders. These situations can get violent very fast, putting more pressure on the officer to make quick decisions that are also the right ones. I like the verbal approach better because most people with mental health disorders are not violent and all they need is to be talked to. Scuba002
Mental illness is a very touchy subject for people. I think the police do what they can in the circumstance that they are in. While I do like the training that officer do to deal with the mental ill. But the problem becomes that no matter what, they will protect themselves. So even if the person is mentally ill, the officer will protect themselves. I do wish there was a separate group of people to come in and deal with the mentally ill. hotfox003
Over 50 million people in America have mental health issues today. I think these numbers will continue to rise, so it is important officers are not only aware of this, but they are also trained in mental health so they can properly address situations that involve people with mental disorders. Five days of Crisis Intervention Training is not enough for these officers. They need to either find a way to keep the training fresh in the officer’s minds and keep them well rehearsed for those situations, or start mental health response units. I do not agree with Hill’s girlfriend; she said police officers will still shoot no matter how much training they have. Police officers do have to make quick decisions, especially when their lives are in danger, but I do not think they are anywhere close on the spectrum to being trigger happy. The idea of the mental health response units sounds good on paper, but I am not sure how well it will work in reality. Since mental health response units are more specific, they will be more spread out than police officers making their response times to calls longer than it would be for police officers. Officers should be trained and aware for these situations, but I think officers should be mainly focused on crime, and having a mental disorder is not a crime. Mental health hospitals need to become prominent again because it is not fair for them to be lodged in a jail. Jails are for criminals, not for people with mental disorders. If mental response teams cannot happen, then Crisis Intervention Training should be implemented through a class during police academy for those training to become police officers. For people who are already officers, an initial 16 week training course should be made required and brief refresher courses should also be required every two years. Scuba002
I agree in that officer's need the proper training and that more than a couple hours is beneficial. I also agree that jail is no place for the mentally I'll that they will not receive the help they need and it could do more harm than good. I think that educating officers is a major first step and as long as officers are willing to learn and stay open minded it will be beneficial for everyone. Sly.003
I agree with you too. I have dealt with people who have a mental illness. What I have discovered is that sometimes they have no control over themselves. You might think that they are doing this purposely, but they are not. They are like everyone else. They do not want to hurt people, but their disorders kick their butts. hotfox003
I can see how important training can be for these types of situation. A lot of times officers already have no idea what they are walking into and then to be put in a situation that they have had no training for and sometimes no warning can be hard and difficult to control without the proper training. Any officers sent to deal with mental disabilities should have plenty of training because a lot of times the person has no idea what they are doing. It's great that there is more training being given now than years ago. Sometimes officers may have to use force because its not safe for them because the person can be off there medications and not realize what they are doing and may be dangerous. I have know sckezefrenics that have burnt their house down because they didn't take their meds. Its great that officers are being trained to handle these situations. Its important to remain calm but aware in all situations. Sly.003
I can attest to that as well. Staying calm and collected in these situations is very important. Approaching someone who may be in a different "reality" than you is tough and must be done in a way that both sides can understand eachother. If communication can't be made hopefully non-lethal means are still a viable option. Shooting someone who, if in the right state of mind, would not hurt you is something that would weigh heavily on anyone's conscience. Ghost003
Officers being trained on dealing with the issues that revolve around individuals, and dealing with mental health problems can be effective in preventing a crisis from happening and helping individuals to get the treatment they need to interact in a positive manner. Mental health is becoming an issue that is growing and affecting more and more people every year. When I was on a ride along we got a call that a man that was schizophrenic was upset and was yelling at his girlfriend. When we showed up the call the officers were able to talk to the man and get him calm then told the officers what had happen. The whole fight was over a misunderstanding. It was nice to see the officer just talk to the man and get him to calm down. Officers today need to make sure that they are learning how to talk to people who have mental health problems and not just jump to arrest them or even worse shoot. Pie002
I agree that officers need to be trained for situations like that, and how to act upon it in the right way. these people suffer everyday and being reminded of their illness doesn't help them in their situation at all. yes they did still commit the crime and they should get consequences like everyone else, but their consequences could be a way where they could receive help also. anpcougs002
It is defiantly reassuring that some officers know how to handle situations like that. That whole situation could have gone a whole entire different way if the officers wouldn't have stepped in and saved it from going downhill, especially over a misunderstanding. Flannel002
The mind can work in some mysterious ways. Often people can be judged on their appearances and actions without being able to give their story or a chance to speak out. I don't believe that former Officer Robert Olsen took his training and knowledge the right way when he chose to grab his gun and shoot Veteran Hill. Everyone in the law enforcement should be trained and fully aware of how to respond to every situation that they are put in to. The CIT program and classes like Doc. White teaches, "Mental Health First Aid" should be mandatory because like I said in the beginning everyone's minds are "wired" differently, something can not make sense to you but make sense to someone else. I think training and classes that were discussed in this article are great for our law enforcement simply because it gives a better understanding to how to help those who suffer from mental illness or someone who took the wrong path and let drugs take over their mind and actions. Like Doc. White said in class just because you carry a gun doesn't always mean you have to shoot. Law enforcement is about protecting our society and people that suffer mental illness should be given the chance to get the help they need, so our officers should be trained and ready to handle every given situation that is presented to them. All the classes and all the training are a great deal for them to be able to remain calm and also aware of every situation to be able to do their duties fully. Bell 003
Reports of the mentally distraught or ill acting out in public presents a tough and unclear situation for officers in the field. In the case of Anthony Hill, a former air force veteran and a man with PTSD, things did not flow so smoothly. After roaming around his apartment complex naked and banging on doors a police officer approached the scene only to find a situation he may have not been able to handle. This resulting in the fatal shooting of Hill. Instances like these are not new and are very tragic. If the officer would have been able to use the mental health training he received a few years prior then the situation may have played out differently. The officer in question demanded that he was acting in self defense which will be up to the courts to decide. I have dealt with a few people with severe PTSD my whole life. It can cause the victim to wake up in the middle of the night or even wander around aimlessly outside at inappropriate hours. These types of people are hard to predict and hard to reason with, but there is a way. If you can get down to their level, or enter their world, then you can reason with them usually at least to a marginal degree. One thing is for sure, we need to continue to provide mental health training to our police officers and possibly create mental health task forces directly responsible for these types of situations, but all police officers should have some training since the specialist may not always be the first on the scene. Ghost003
This is a very good topic to learn more about because in today’s society with their being no more mental hospitals there are a lot of mentally ill people out there on the streets. It seems like today most people that do something very bad usually are the ones who need mental help. Cops need to be trained in this area very well. Being taught how to talk and communicate with them so that they can maybe prevent the crime from happening or try to deescalate the situation. A mental hospital should be opened up again because people who have mental problems they shouldn’t be in jail. It’s not helping them out at all and that’s also another reason why our prisons in America are getting over populated. I believe it would be a good idea to have a new organization that opens up that gets directly called for situations with mentally ill people. That is so great because police officers I believe should focus more on crimes. If this can’t happen with new organizations taking over then police officers need to get very well trained in this department of mental health. They especially need to so incidents like the one in the article don’t ever happen again. Officers need to have a year of training and maybe more. The training that there are receiving those is very important because it’s teaching them how to communicating and resolving the problem without anything bad happening. If police officers can get these things taught and the police officers start learning things on mental illness this will be so helpful in the future especially when you start seeing officers saving people from doing stupid things to themselves or other people.CRC002
I feel slightly connected to this issue because I used to volunteer for PATH and have gone through the CIT program. I used to speak with people who suffered from a mental illness at least once a week on my shift. In several cases those who are a harm to themselves could seek access to a Crisis Team member who would have also had this training and would go to this persons house with a uniformed police officer to handle the situation. I will never condone an unarmed individual with a mental illness being shot, there is just no reason for it. I understand an officer believing in a threat to his safety because of their actions but we are very trigger happy in the United States in some regions or specific to certain departments. I believe in this training for anyone who has to come into contact with someone who suffers from a mental illness, and episode can be scary for those around the individual watching it but it's terror for the one experiencing it. Like the one woman stated during her manic episode she needed that officer who could see that and see the signs and listen to what she was saying to understand she needed more than just a trip to the station. The training is about getting on their level and being able to ask or look for signs of what to do next. If all officers could receive this training they would be better prepared to handle and speak with these individuals and learn what steps to take overall improving their verbal skills with suspects and mentally ill individuals. It's tough when states and federal levels know that this CIT is helpful but then defund all the programs able to help share it with the public, if they want safety and less guns used on duty this is just one of the positive steps to head in that direction. And in this case yes the suspect was killed because the officer thought he was going to harm him, I have mixed feelings on how that was validated but at least with the training he was able to recognize this as a unique situation where that was needed versus another situation may not need that and without the training he would have killed someone else who suffers from a mental illness. Involving the community concerns and the police with training to adapt to their surrounded is the best way to keep police informed of the issues in those areas they patrol and can get other members in the community to help. Marras002
Coming from a person who knows some mentally ill people reading this article really made me think. After reading how the officer handled the situation with the man with PTSD it really shows how little some police departments treasure de escalation training. As Dr. White had said in a previous lecture that in the academy they spend 80 hours teaching you how to use and shoot a gun but only 10 I believe on how to de escalate a situation. That sort of training is not only important but absolutely necessary. Calls involving mentally ill people have to be taken with sensitivity because that person is not like an average person to keep it blunt. That person has issues that clouds or sometimes completely misconstrues their actions and thought processes. The fact that the officer completely disregarded that and used deadly force when if trained correctly, could have easily made the situation easier than it could have been and that man would still be alive today. There's more mentally ill people now than ever so this de escalation training with the mentally ill is more prevalent than ever. RM002
It really shows what they value as to spend time on and practicing. Sometimes I know it's hard to believe but officers go into training having never dealt with someone who has a mental illness or a disease. Statistics can show several police officers who go their entire careers with never having to fire their gun, now think of how many times an officer comes into contact with the public, and statistically how many people even just in the united states suffer from some type of mental illness. It's way more likely that on a daily basis an officer will have to speak with someone with a mental illness over having to take their gun out and shoot someone. Just makes you think where is the balance. Marras002
This article touches base on a good topic that we need to learn more about because today with there not being very many mental health facilities left there are a lot of mentally ill people out there on the streets with nowhere to really seek the help they need. It seems like today most people that do something very bad usually are the ones who need mental help. Cops need to be trained in this area very well. Being taught how to talk and communicate with them so that they can maybe prevent the crime from happening or try to de-escalate the situation. A mental health facility should be opened again because people who have mental problems shouldn’t necessarily be put in jail, but in a place that can get them the treatment they need to get stable again. It’s not helping them out at all and that’s also another reason why our prisons in America are getting over populated. I believe it would be a good idea to have a new organization that opens that gets directly called for situations with mentally ill people. That is so great because police officer’s I believe should focus more on crimes. If this can’t happen with new organizations taking over, then police officers need to get very well trained in this department of mental health. They especially need to so incidents like the one in the article don’t ever happen again. Officers need to have a year of training and maybe more. The training that there are receiving those is very important because it’s teaching them how to communicating and resolving the problem without anything bad happening. If police officers can get these things taught and the police officers start learning things on mental illness this will be so helpful in the future especially when you start seeing officers saving people from doing stupid things to themselves or other people. Ciaccio002
When taking calls that involve the mentally ill, people should learn to be more cautious and sensitive to this subject. So training these police officers and force task should be a required thing, since over 55 million people suffer with some mental health issue. Since mental health response units are more specific, they will be more spread out than police officers making their response times to calls longer than it would be for police officers. When talking about certain cases, officers should be considerate of others, and need to know when something isn’t right in a situation to notice if a person has a mental health problem. For the case of Anthony Hill, who suffered from PTSD and bipolar disorder, was shot and killed by officer Robert Olsen because the officer said he felt threatened, but there was no need for deadly force because the suspect was naked and strolling through the halls. Even if he had been threatened, there is clearly no weapon present. And I also believe that mental health hospitals should be reevaluated and reestablished, for many reasons. Prisons are for people who commit crime and they are very aware when they commit these crimes. But when someone has mental health issues, we know that they aren’t quite aware of what’s going on. So the hospitals or institutes are a place for the mentally disable. Anpcougs002
I most definitely support all organization's that are against use of force when dealing with mentally ill citizens. When I do a ride along with a officer here in my home town and I observe them while they handle a mentally ill person, they do treat them with respect but not as much as the officer did in the article. What I mean by that is in the article the officer took the girl to go get something to eat, talked to her, and kept her calm until her dad came to get her. Officers here would just get them calm until someone who deals with mentally ill people professionally come to better take care of the person or the officers would just call the wagon to pick them up. In the article it talked Health classes. I believe that having these classes will really broaden how officers handle mentally ill citizen. Because officers will better understand what traits mentally ill citizens have and how to keep them controlled until someone professional arrives on scene. But from reading the article it stated that an officer killed hill and he was an officer who took the course but still didn't handle the situation right. I took the mental health first Aid course and it really helped me so I fully support all organizations that deals with mental health.-NIKE002
This article has some very important and key elements in it that shouldn't be taken lightly. I wholeheartedly agree that police should be trained in how to detect whether or not a person has a mental disorder or not. Although no matter what we could do as a whole, there will always be a case like this showing that not all police can do that, but guess what, not everyone is perfect. It would be very hard to tell whether or not a person is on drugs or have mental disability from my experience. They could even be hyper from drinking a ton of coffee or caffeine, it's so hard to tell until you are in the situation yourself of what is actually going on. Everyone can pick and say they would do the right thing in that situation but it's hard to actually do the right thing when the right thing to do is so hard to find. Mental disability is so hard to deal with because you can't hardly tell who has it or who is just having a bad day. It is a very hard line to walk when having to deal with these type of situations. It takes several years of studying to be able to know how to deal with the mentally disable, not just a few training classes that someone took six years ago, you get rusty after a little while. Flannel002
This article showed many different elements that are apart of how to handle someone with a mental disorder. In the article it seemed as the officer went above and beyond what he actually had to do. I dont think officers here will go to the extreme as to what this officer did. From my experience, it really is hard to tell if someone really is suffering from a mental disorder or if they are on drugs that is making act a certain way. It is hard to do the right thing and think or what the right thing to do is when coming into this situation. I feel like it takes a lot of studying and practice to know what the right thing to do in this situation is. bball002
I think that police officers need to know how to deal with mental illnesses because they could have the potential to save someone’s life, especially by knowing how to deal with how someone’s mind may work differently than another’s. There’s a line between a mental illness that makes you think and deal with things differently, and between getting violent and almost crazy like. Either way, they need to know how to deal with them so they don’t have the person cause themselves harm. When the Peoria Police Department came in a few weeks ago, Officer Dotson said how you’ll also need to know how to talk to the individual to help them, and I think learning about how mental illness affect someone could help a lot. It’s 2017, and since mental illnesses are coming up more and more, not everyone is crazy, some just have different mindsets. stlblues002
To be honest I started this post after a brief breaking reading the article halfway through because I wanted to touch on that section. It's this type of collective that tarnishes community relations and give a bad name to cops. "Whether they receive training or not, they'll still shoot." This is absurd. The organization is based around the idea that mental illness is not a crime. That concept was never even suggested. It's people trying to start a scene using a horrible event and twisting what could have(because the article never explained the situation) been an accident or a misuse of deadly force in the heat of the moment. All of which still remains on the officers fault. Additionally, she wants there to be another number for family members to call when their loved one who is mentally ill is in distress. However, it was a call in by a witness, not a family member. Where I particularly think Anderson is wrong is about the training being effective. The article tells of training seminars where officers are forced to attend, and some that "change their careers." Where I do agree is that CIT is a good place to start. Getting officers on board will increase their knowledge and perhaps reduce the risk of escalated situations that result in mistakes made. JAY002
ReplyDeleteI agree police should not ever shoot first. This gives officers a bad repetition even if some officers are not even involved their still looked at poorly. I agree officers gaining more knowledge on limiting stress of a sittion can be an effective training method in handling a event they are going into to. I agree thou some events are taking by calls outside of the family so not always one hundred percent of the time can the entire event be handled correct but shooting in any event shouldn't be the first motive. Eagle002
DeleteI agree that training will be beneficial for police officers because it will teach them alternative routes to help deal with individuals with mental illnesses. As I said in my comment, police officers receive extensive training, but none of which specifically discusses dealing with the mentally ill. Additionally, I think receiving the training will help police officers that using brutal force and pulling out their guns is not the answer to resolve all issues. Different people require different approaches to solving issues, and I think it would be important for police officers to receive training to help them understand that and be able to adapt to the different people and personalities. Purple003
DeleteI totally agree with you that the officers should never shoot first. That is how cops end up getting being seen as horrible people just because people think that it's okay for cops just to do that and not try and talk to someone down. The officers need to learn how to talk to people who have mental health problems and get them to be calm. Pie002
DeleteTo add to that, since I went off topic, no one wants to be the one to pull their weapon out and fire it in a heated situation. But thats where this type of training will come into effect. If they can even remember one scrap of the 40 hours of "sensitivity" training while they are vergin on panic, that can make a world of difference and can switch the result from a dead mentally ill man, to a properly deescalated situation and possibly the family of the man coming to help out with getting him where he needs to go in terms of help. Departments no doubt integrate this type of training into their requirements, but the concept of deescalation should be taken into careful consideration to include the mentally ill. JAY002
ReplyDeleteOfficers being trained on dealing with the issues that revolve around individuals, and dealing with mental health problems can be effective in preventing a crisis from happening and helping individuals to get the treatment they need to interact in a positive matter. I also think this important fact that was pointed out in this article that officers are trained to deal with a caution of err when they approach a situation that is occurring if the officers are training to try to de stress the situation instead of reacting in a cation of fear this could make a difference in deploying deadly force when officers are responding to a 911 call. What was also mentioned in this article could be effective in getting correct dealings with the mentally ill is to have another number besides 911 that families could call that way they could get the treatment from an agency that specializes in dealings with individuals with mental health problems. Anderson the girlfriend of Hill who was killed by an officer during a 911 call after attacking out, due to mental health problems he had suffered mentation that officer shouldn’t handle mental health patients, which I could see her saying this out of fear because of her experience. But her idea of having a mental health unit could be extremely positive as long as trained officers deal with the calls going with mentally ill along with these special units to ensure that all individuals can maintain success with dealing with the situation appropriately without resulting with the loss of life. This training that officers are receiving on behalf of Georgia state I believe is extremely important as this will teach them not just de stressing skills with the mentally ill but also with handling different aspects of calls without always using use of force inside can resolve the issue from communication effective. Eagle002
ReplyDeleteI agree, Eagle002. I think training is a great idea, and we can always better how we police, especially in specialized situations such as dealing with the mentally ill. It's unfortunate that Olsen failed to deescalate the situation without using force, especially deadly force, when it was obvious that Anthony Hill was not armed.
Deletegh_blackhawks002
i definitely agree with that because that de escalation training the officers previously had done was clearly not enough cause the officer didn't execute what he had learned and resorted to deadly force. the training is not only important but absolutely necessary. RM002
DeleteSituations and calls involving the mentally ill can be fairly sensitive. You cannot necessary treat them exactly how you would someone else on a different call. It becomes more difficult to understand whether or not the actions from the mentally ill are a threat to the officer’s safety, or if it is normal activity for them because of their illness. In the case of Anthony Hill, who suffered from PTSD and bipolar disorder, was shot and killed by officer Robert Olsen because the officer said he felt threatened, but there was no need for deadly force because the suspect was naked and strolling through the halls. Even if he had been threatened, there is clearly no weapon present. Olsen had taken a training class about how to deal with situations like this, but when the time came at the apartment with Anthony Hill, he failed to follow what he was trained to do, and shot Hill. Olsen will likely face trial in 2017, following the shooting in March of 2015. Situations like this one go to show that the behavior that we see from the mentally ill may not be exactly what they seem to be. I think it is important that officers go through training that help them better distinguish threatening behavior from the mentally ill, and maybe study behavioral habits that are seen among some of the mentally ill. This would aid in a better handling of situations such as the one with Anthony Hill, and hopefully it would eliminate the use of deadly force on those like Hill unless it is absolutely necessary. There is always room for more training and bettering how we can police.
ReplyDeletegh_blackhawks002
I agree with you, even though the officers were trained to handle the situations that doesn't neccisarily mean they are prepared to handle the situations correctly when it is the time to do such. There is no way to fully prepare someone for a situation like this. So maybe diffferent techniques will be created and developed so situations as Hill's won't continue to happen. It doesn't completely terminate the problem, but it does help just a little to figure out the problem and handle the situations differently. Bread003
DeleteI agree with you as well, just because they are trained doesn't mean there ready for that situation right then and there. Obviously we can all see not everyone is ready and maybe this is a lesson that police officers should be in more training. I feel that we need very well training for this so incidents like this don't happen. We overall just need to figure out different ways to solve the problem.CRC002
DeleteIn regards to officers not using force and checking on the person in need, it’s a touchy subject and can go 2 ways. It makes it difficult because, to an extent an officer doesn’t exactly know what is wrong with the person who needs help. The officers are putting their life on the line to help someone when they don’t even know exactly what is going on until they get closer. So, yes to some extent I can understand why officers go straight to violence instead of reasoning the situation down and trying to deescalate everything with words instead of violence. When you are put into a situation like such, it makes you take a lot of precautions because you don’t know what can happen next. Then, on the other hand, I understand the officers who take the verbal approach to calm down situations. I’m sure there are a lot of situations where the person may not be as dangerous as they may come off. Their first impression of their behavior may come off differently than it really is. The person may just need someone to show affection to them and show that they care. Like the last example when the officer started getting donations from people for someone. That’s not in his job description. He is doing that because he cares, and sometimes that’s all it takes for someone to get back on track is just some attention, love, and affection. Bread003
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that this is a touchy subject. It is difficult for officers to identify what is wrong with the person who has mental health disorders. Some mental health disorders do not look like how it sounds in the book, making it more difficult for officers who have not had real world experiences involving these disorders. These situations can get violent very fast, putting more pressure on the officer to make quick decisions that are also the right ones. I like the verbal approach better because most people with mental health disorders are not violent and all they need is to be talked to. Scuba002
DeleteMental illness is a very touchy subject for people. I think the police do what they can in the circumstance that they are in. While I do like the training that officer do to deal with the mental ill. But the problem becomes that no matter what, they will protect themselves. So even if the person is mentally ill, the officer will protect themselves. I do wish there was a separate group of people to come in and deal with the mentally ill. hotfox003
DeleteOver 50 million people in America have mental health issues today. I think these numbers will continue to rise, so it is important officers are not only aware of this, but they are also trained in mental health so they can properly address situations that involve people with mental disorders. Five days of Crisis Intervention Training is not enough for these officers. They need to either find a way to keep the training fresh in the officer’s minds and keep them well rehearsed for those situations, or start mental health response units. I do not agree with Hill’s girlfriend; she said police officers will still shoot no matter how much training they have. Police officers do have to make quick decisions, especially when their lives are in danger, but I do not think they are anywhere close on the spectrum to being trigger happy. The idea of the mental health response units sounds good on paper, but I am not sure how well it will work in reality. Since mental health response units are more specific, they will be more spread out than police officers making their response times to calls longer than it would be for police officers. Officers should be trained and aware for these situations, but I think officers should be mainly focused on crime, and having a mental disorder is not a crime. Mental health hospitals need to become prominent again because it is not fair for them to be lodged in a jail. Jails are for criminals, not for people with mental disorders. If mental response teams cannot happen, then Crisis Intervention Training should be implemented through a class during police academy for those training to become police officers. For people who are already officers, an initial 16 week training course should be made required and brief refresher courses should also be required every two years. Scuba002
ReplyDeleteI agree in that officer's need the proper training and that more than a couple hours is beneficial. I also agree that jail is no place for the mentally I'll that they will not receive the help they need and it could do more harm than good. I think that educating officers is a major first step and as long as officers are willing to learn and stay open minded it will be beneficial for everyone. Sly.003
DeleteI agree with you too. I have dealt with people who have a mental illness. What I have discovered is that sometimes they have no control over themselves. You might think that they are doing this purposely, but they are not. They are like everyone else. They do not want to hurt people, but their disorders kick their butts. hotfox003
ReplyDeleteI can see how important training can be for these types of situation. A lot of times officers already have no idea what they are walking into and then to be put in a situation that they have had no training for and sometimes no warning can be hard and difficult to control without the proper training. Any officers sent to deal with mental disabilities should have plenty of training because a lot of times the person has no idea what they are doing. It's great that there is more training being given now than years ago. Sometimes officers may have to use force because its not safe for them because the person can be off there medications and not realize what they are doing and may be dangerous. I have know sckezefrenics that have burnt their house down because they didn't take their meds. Its great that officers are being trained to handle these situations. Its important to remain calm but aware in all situations. Sly.003
ReplyDeleteI can attest to that as well. Staying calm and collected in these situations is very important. Approaching someone who may be in a different "reality" than you is tough and must be done in a way that both sides can understand eachother. If communication can't be made hopefully non-lethal means are still a viable option. Shooting someone who, if in the right state of mind, would not hurt you is something that would weigh heavily on anyone's conscience. Ghost003
DeleteOfficers being trained on dealing with the issues that revolve around individuals, and dealing with mental health problems can be effective in preventing a crisis from happening and helping individuals to get the treatment they need to interact in a positive manner. Mental health is becoming an issue that is growing and affecting more and more people every year. When I was on a ride along we got a call that a man that was schizophrenic was upset and was yelling at his girlfriend. When we showed up the call the officers were able to talk to the man and get him calm then told the officers what had happen. The whole fight was over a misunderstanding. It was nice to see the officer just talk to the man and get him to calm down. Officers today need to make sure that they are learning how to talk to people who have mental health problems and not just jump to arrest them or even worse shoot. Pie002
ReplyDeleteI agree that officers need to be trained for situations like that, and how to act upon it in the right way. these people suffer everyday and being reminded of their illness doesn't help them in their situation at all. yes they did still commit the crime and they should get consequences like everyone else, but their consequences could be a way where they could receive help also. anpcougs002
DeleteIt is defiantly reassuring that some officers know how to handle situations like that. That whole situation could have gone a whole entire different way if the officers wouldn't have stepped in and saved it from going downhill, especially over a misunderstanding. Flannel002
DeleteThe mind can work in some mysterious ways. Often people can be judged on their appearances and actions without being able to give their story or a chance to speak out. I don't believe that former Officer Robert Olsen took his training and knowledge the right way when he chose to grab his gun and shoot Veteran Hill. Everyone in the law enforcement should be trained and fully aware of how to respond to every situation that they are put in to. The CIT program and classes like Doc. White teaches, "Mental Health First Aid" should be mandatory because like I said in the beginning everyone's minds are "wired" differently, something can not make sense to you but make sense to someone else. I think training and classes that were discussed in this article are great for our law enforcement simply because it gives a better understanding to how to help those who suffer from mental illness or someone who took the wrong path and let drugs take over their mind and actions. Like Doc. White said in class just because you carry a gun doesn't always mean you have to shoot. Law enforcement is about protecting our society and people that suffer mental illness should be given the chance to get the help they need, so our officers should be trained and ready to handle every given situation that is presented to them. All the classes and all the training are a great deal for them to be able to remain calm and also aware of every situation to be able to do their duties fully. Bell 003
ReplyDeleteReports of the mentally distraught or ill acting out in public presents a tough and unclear situation for officers in the field. In the case of Anthony Hill, a former air force veteran and a man with PTSD, things did not flow so smoothly. After roaming around his apartment complex naked and banging on doors a police officer approached the scene only to find a situation he may have not been able to handle. This resulting in the fatal shooting of Hill. Instances like these are not new and are very tragic. If the officer would have been able to use the mental health training he received a few years prior then the situation may have played out differently. The officer in question demanded that he was acting in self defense which will be up to the courts to decide. I have dealt with a few people with severe PTSD my whole life. It can cause the victim to wake up in the middle of the night or even wander around aimlessly outside at inappropriate hours. These types of people are hard to predict and hard to reason with, but there is a way. If you can get down to their level, or enter their world, then you can reason with them usually at least to a marginal degree. One thing is for sure, we need to continue to provide mental health training to our police officers and possibly create mental health task forces directly responsible for these types of situations, but all police officers should have some training since the specialist may not always be the first on the scene. Ghost003
ReplyDeleteThis is a very good topic to learn more about because in today’s society with their being no more mental hospitals there are a lot of mentally ill people out there on the streets. It seems like today most people that do something very bad usually are the ones who need mental help. Cops need to be trained in this area very well. Being taught how to talk and communicate with them so that they can maybe prevent the crime from happening or try to deescalate the situation. A mental hospital should be opened up again because people who have mental problems they shouldn’t be in jail. It’s not helping them out at all and that’s also another reason why our prisons in America are getting over populated. I believe it would be a good idea to have a new organization that opens up that gets directly called for situations with mentally ill people. That is so great because police officers I believe should focus more on crimes. If this can’t happen with new organizations taking over then police officers need to get very well trained in this department of mental health. They especially need to so incidents like the one in the article don’t ever happen again. Officers need to have a year of training and maybe more. The training that there are receiving those is very important because it’s teaching them how to communicating and resolving the problem without anything bad happening. If police officers can get these things taught and the police officers start learning things on mental illness this will be so helpful in the future especially when you start seeing officers saving people from doing stupid things to themselves or other people.CRC002
ReplyDeleteI feel slightly connected to this issue because I used to volunteer for PATH and have gone through the CIT program. I used to speak with people who suffered from a mental illness at least once a week on my shift. In several cases those who are a harm to themselves could seek access to a Crisis Team member who would have also had this training and would go to this persons house with a uniformed police officer to handle the situation. I will never condone an unarmed individual with a mental illness being shot, there is just no reason for it. I understand an officer believing in a threat to his safety because of their actions but we are very trigger happy in the United States in some regions or specific to certain departments. I believe in this training for anyone who has to come into contact with someone who suffers from a mental illness, and episode can be scary for those around the individual watching it but it's terror for the one experiencing it. Like the one woman stated during her manic episode she needed that officer who could see that and see the signs and listen to what she was saying to understand she needed more than just a trip to the station. The training is about getting on their level and being able to ask or look for signs of what to do next. If all officers could receive this training they would be better prepared to handle and speak with these individuals and learn what steps to take overall improving their verbal skills with suspects and mentally ill individuals. It's tough when states and federal levels know that this CIT is helpful but then defund all the programs able to help share it with the public, if they want safety and less guns used on duty this is just one of the positive steps to head in that direction. And in this case yes the suspect was killed because the officer thought he was going to harm him, I have mixed feelings on how that was validated but at least with the training he was able to recognize this as a unique situation where that was needed versus another situation may not need that and without the training he would have killed someone else who suffers from a mental illness. Involving the community concerns and the police with training to adapt to their surrounded is the best way to keep police informed of the issues in those areas they patrol and can get other members in the community to help. Marras002
ReplyDeleteComing from a person who knows some mentally ill people reading this article really made me think. After reading how the officer handled the situation with the man with PTSD it really shows how little some police departments treasure de escalation training. As Dr. White had said in a previous lecture that in the academy they spend 80 hours teaching you how to use and shoot a gun but only 10 I believe on how to de escalate a situation. That sort of training is not only important but absolutely necessary. Calls involving mentally ill people have to be taken with sensitivity because that person is not like an average person to keep it blunt. That person has issues that clouds or sometimes completely misconstrues their actions and thought processes. The fact that the officer completely disregarded that and used deadly force when if trained correctly, could have easily made the situation easier than it could have been and that man would still be alive today. There's more mentally ill people now than ever so this de escalation training with the mentally ill is more prevalent than ever. RM002
ReplyDeleteIt really shows what they value as to spend time on and practicing. Sometimes I know it's hard to believe but officers go into training having never dealt with someone who has a mental illness or a disease. Statistics can show several police officers who go their entire careers with never having to fire their gun, now think of how many times an officer comes into contact with the public, and statistically how many people even just in the united states suffer from some type of mental illness. It's way more likely that on a daily basis an officer will have to speak with someone with a mental illness over having to take their gun out and shoot someone. Just makes you think where is the balance. Marras002
DeleteThis article touches base on a good topic that we need to learn more about because today with there not being very many mental health facilities left there are a lot of mentally ill people out there on the streets with nowhere to really seek the help they need. It seems like today most people that do something very bad usually are the ones who need mental help. Cops need to be trained in this area very well. Being taught how to talk and communicate with them so that they can maybe prevent the crime from happening or try to de-escalate the situation. A mental health facility should be opened again because people who have mental problems shouldn’t necessarily be put in jail, but in a place that can get them the treatment they need to get stable again. It’s not helping them out at all and that’s also another reason why our prisons in America are getting over populated. I believe it would be a good idea to have a new organization that opens that gets directly called for situations with mentally ill people. That is so great because police officer’s I believe should focus more on crimes. If this can’t happen with new organizations taking over, then police officers need to get very well trained in this department of mental health. They especially need to so incidents like the one in the article don’t ever happen again. Officers need to have a year of training and maybe more. The training that there are receiving those is very important because it’s teaching them how to communicating and resolving the problem without anything bad happening. If police officers can get these things taught and the police officers start learning things on mental illness this will be so helpful in the future especially when you start seeing officers saving people from doing stupid things to themselves or other people. Ciaccio002
ReplyDeleteWhen taking calls that involve the mentally ill, people should learn to be more cautious and sensitive to this subject. So training these police officers and force task should be a required thing, since over 55 million people suffer with some mental health issue. Since mental health response units are more specific, they will be more spread out than police officers making their response times to calls longer than it would be for police officers. When talking about certain cases, officers should be considerate of others, and need to know when something isn’t right in a situation to notice if a person has a mental health problem. For the case of Anthony Hill, who suffered from PTSD and bipolar disorder, was shot and killed by officer Robert Olsen because the officer said he felt threatened, but there was no need for deadly force because the suspect was naked and strolling through the halls. Even if he had been threatened, there is clearly no weapon present. And I also believe that mental health hospitals should be reevaluated and reestablished, for many reasons. Prisons are for people who commit crime and they are very aware when they commit these crimes. But when someone has mental health issues, we know that they aren’t quite aware of what’s going on. So the hospitals or institutes are a place for the mentally disable. Anpcougs002
ReplyDeleteI most definitely support all organization's that are against use of force when dealing with mentally ill citizens. When I do a ride along with a officer here in my home town and I observe them while they handle a mentally ill person, they do treat them with respect but not as much as the officer did in the article. What I mean by that is in the article the officer took the girl to go get something to eat, talked to her, and kept her calm until her dad came to get her. Officers here would just get them calm until someone who deals with mentally ill people professionally come to better take care of the person or the officers would just call the wagon to pick them up. In the article it talked Health classes. I believe that having these classes will really broaden how officers handle mentally ill citizen. Because officers will better understand what traits mentally ill citizens have and how to keep them controlled until someone professional arrives on scene. But from reading the article it stated that an officer killed hill and he was an officer who took the course but still didn't handle the situation right. I took the mental health first Aid course and it really helped me so I fully support all organizations that deals with mental health.-NIKE002
ReplyDeleteThis article has some very important and key elements in it that shouldn't be taken lightly. I wholeheartedly agree that police should be trained in how to detect whether or not a person has a mental disorder or not. Although no matter what we could do as a whole, there will always be a case like this showing that not all police can do that, but guess what, not everyone is perfect. It would be very hard to tell whether or not a person is on drugs or have mental disability from my experience. They could even be hyper from drinking a ton of coffee or caffeine, it's so hard to tell until you are in the situation yourself of what is actually going on. Everyone can pick and say they would do the right thing in that situation but it's hard to actually do the right thing when the right thing to do is so hard to find. Mental disability is so hard to deal with because you can't hardly tell who has it or who is just having a bad day. It is a very hard line to walk when having to deal with these type of situations. It takes several years of studying to be able to know how to deal with the mentally disable, not just a few training classes that someone took six years ago, you get rusty after a little while. Flannel002
ReplyDeleteThis article showed many different elements that are apart of how to handle someone with a mental disorder. In the article it seemed as the officer went above and beyond what he actually had to do. I dont think officers here will go to the extreme as to what this officer did. From my experience, it really is hard to tell if someone really is suffering from a mental disorder or if they are on drugs that is making act a certain way. It is hard to do the right thing and think or what the right thing to do is when coming into this situation. I feel like it takes a lot of studying and practice to know what the right thing to do in this situation is. bball002
ReplyDeleteI think that police officers need to know how to deal with mental illnesses because they could have the potential to save someone’s life, especially by knowing how to deal with how someone’s mind may work differently than another’s.
ReplyDeleteThere’s a line between a mental illness that makes you think and deal with things differently, and between getting violent and almost crazy like. Either way, they need to know how to deal with them so they don’t have the person cause themselves harm. When the Peoria Police Department came in a few weeks ago, Officer Dotson said how you’ll also need to know how to talk to the individual to help them, and I think learning about how mental illness affect someone could help a lot. It’s 2017, and since mental illnesses are coming up more and more, not everyone is crazy, some just have different mindsets. stlblues002