Mental Health
2024: Limiting Contact Between Police and the Public
Goal
Limit unnecessary contact between police and the public. This session that includes:
Reducing Law Enforcement's Footprint to Maximize Community Safety: Eliminating Police-Based Response to Low Level Traffic Violations and Mental Health Crises
This white paper provides an overview of the harms that flow from relying on law enforcement for civil traffic violations and crisis intervention. These two arenas account for a significant portion of police-civilian contacts and, in turn, a significant portion of civilian deaths at the hands of police. In 2021 alone, police killed at least 1,140 people. 117 of those people were killed after police stopped them for a traffic violation, and 104 were killed after police responded to reports of erratic behavior or mental health crisis.
New Jersey S4250/A5326
Funding for pilot civilian response teams.
Jonathan Mercedes v. City of New York et. al.
Jonathan Mercedes v. City of New York et. al. involves a false arrest under NY State Mental Hygiene Law Section 9.41. Jonathan Mercedes was arrested by police despite officers observing no action by Mr. Mercedes that indicated that he was a danger to himself or others. The NY State Mental Hygiene Law has received heightened public attention recently, following NYC Mayor Eric Adams' announcement that he intends to use it to forcibly hospitalize unhoused people.