Police response to individuals with mental illness, an issue that has taken center stage in Justice Department investigations in recent years, is again in the spotlight given a lengthy new report showing how often Baltimore officers forcibly detain people in crisis.
Justice Department investigators found that over a six-year period, mental illness played a role in at least 1 of every 5 cases in which a Baltimore officer used force — through handcuffs, stun guns and guns, for example, even if the person presented no immediate threat. At least one encounter ended in death.
Because of a lack of training, police end up in "unnecessarily violent" confrontations with people with mental health problems, the report concludes. In addition, they consistently failed to de-escalate situations and often escalated them, it says. In many cases, officers' goal was to "bring the individual into immediate custody at all costs.”
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