The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division is investigating another incident with police and someone having an apparent mental health crisis.
Police said a man died early Wednesday after officers restrained him and tried to get him medical help.
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The incident began Tuesday night in West Baltimore, a day before the
fatal shooting of a 70-year-old woman
and the safe rescue of a 34-year-old man.
“For the man walking the street, crossing the street, he walks back and forth in the street doing… walking back and forth. That’s what he does,” said nearby resident Janet Bailey, who said she has seen the man many times.
Neighbors said there have been a number of instances where they have seen people in need of care walking along Mulberry Street in West Baltimore, less than a block from the intersection of West Franklin Street and North Franklintown Road.
“We see them coming up and down the block acting a little crazy,” said nearby resident Sherrian Cunningham. “I don’t know if it is mental health, drug related or alcohol or heat. But I do know they act a little crazy, but they never interfere with anybody. They don’t come and bother anybody. They do what they do.”
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According to the IID, as an officer talked to the man, the man walked into the street several times. The officer tried to restrain the man, and other officers arrived and put him in handcuffs and leg restraints. The
man then became unresponsive
. Officers called for an ambulance, nearly an hour after the beginning of the incident.
The ambulance did not arrive, officials said, so officers put the man in a police car and took him to the hospital. He died less than five hours later.
“I can’t imagine if police call for an ambulance in an emergency situation why they would not show up,” one nearby resident said. “That makes no sense to me.”
Video below: Baltimore
City Council president on recent fatal police incidents
This is the third incident involving behavioral health issues in a matter of days.
On Wednesday, police shot and killed a 70-year-old woman on Mosher Street. Police said she brandished a knife and lunged at an officer. Another officer shot her.
The same day, a naked man threatened to jump off a balcony. Police said the crisis response team, negotiators and the fire department spent more than 16 hours at the scene before
getting the man off the balcony
and to a hospital.
11 News Investigates spoke with former deputy commissioner Jason Johnson about the unpredictable incidents and the training officers get to handle them. Johnson was with BPD when the consent decree started and is now president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund.
“Most of the time, it’s going to be your frontline patrol officers who are interacting with people in mental health crises. They do have good training to deal with it. The tactics have improved significantly,” Johnson said. “The police response to mental health crisis, that’s a big challenge for law enforcement.”
Johnson said he still thinks the incidents happen on a case-by-case basis, and don’t indicate a larger issue.
“While I think the community might be concerned, and rightfully concerned, quite frankly, I don’t think it indicates anything. I think we have to look at each individual case,” Johnson said.
In a statement on Friday, Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen called for a hearing to examine the city’s crisis response teams, saying:
“Over the past week, three of our neighbors died during or after encounters with police while experiencing apparent behavioral health crises. These tragedies are a heartbreaking reminder that far too many Baltimoreans suffer in silence. Today I am calling for a hearing in the City Council’s Public Safety Committee to examine our behavioral health crisis response systems.
“As the first city in the nation to implement trauma informed care legislation, Baltimore must continue to lead the way on how we address these issues. The City Council has fought for years to increase funding for Baltimore Crisis Response Inc. because we know that law enforcement alone can not be expected to solve this problem. Now is the time for effective oversight to make sure all of our systems work together.
“We owe it to all Baltimoreans whose lives have been shattered in these moments of crisis to take action and get this right.”
Cohen told 11 News he is not placing blame on any person or department in particular.
“Baltimore was the first city in the United States to have legislated trauma informed care into law. We have always been a pioneer and a leader when it comes to how we respond to mental health crises, and yet we’ve had these three incidents within one week,” Cohen said. “That is extremely disturbing to me and to my colleagues in the city council.”
A representative for Baltimore police told 11 News that BPD is aware of the incident and they are investigating it alongside the Attorney General’s Office.
“I am not weighing in on whether these were justified deaths, there’s a whole IG and AIG report that’s going to go on,” Cohen said. “What the council wants to understand is what are the systems that are in place to make sure we are effectively responding to mental health and behavioral health crises.”
Cohen said the Baltimore City Response Inc. should be out with law enforcement officers to co-respond and deescalate situations.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Independent Investigations Division at
410-576-7070
or by sending them an
email
.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s office sent a statement to 11 News, which follows in its entirety.
“The city of Baltimore has made significant strides in recent years in how we respond to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises and we remain committed to building on that progress every single day.
“The Baltimore Police Department has expanded officer training to ensure personnel are better equipped to engage individuals facing behavioral health challenges with care, compassion, and de-escalation.
“Simultaneously, we are transforming our emergency response system by diverting appropriate 911 calls to the 988 behavioral health helpline and deploying mobile crisis teams composed of trained, non-law enforcement professionals.
“This work is guided by the Baltimore City Behavioral Health Collaborative, co-chaired by the mayor’s office, the Baltimore Police Department and Behavioral Health System Baltimore. Through this cross-agency partnership, we are aligning our strategies, tracking progress, and advancing a unified vision for crisis response.
“Updates on that work can be found in
this report
and will continue to be shared as the system evolves. We recognize that this work is far from over.
“The events of this week underscore both the urgency and complexity of behavioral health emergencies and the toll they take on residents and first responders alike. These moments make it even more clear how vital it is to expand timely, effective support across our city.
“Mayor Scott extends his deepest condolences to the families and communities affected. We remain fully committed to doing everything in our power to strengthen our systems and uphold the safety, dignity and well-being of all Baltimoreans.”
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