St. Sen. Jeff Klein Wants To Improve Interaction With Mentally Ill In Police Emergencies

Sen. Jeff Klein Wants To Improve Interaction With Mentally Ill In Police Emergencies

August 18, 2011 3:34 PM

New York St. Sen. Jeff Klein (file / credit: Senator’s Office)

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NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - When dealing with the mentally ill, it’s a sensitive situation, especially for police.

WCBS 880′s Catherine Cioffi On The Story

St. Sen. Jeff Klein is proposing a bill aimed at putting police in a better position to respond to emergencies involving the mentally ill.

It would require service providers who place them in residential housing to let police know if those clients have a history of violence.

“We really need to get local law enforcement the tools that they need,” Klein told WCBS 880 reporter Catherine Cioffi.

Klein says if officers are aware of the background, they can alter their tactics.

“[It would] provide for the safety of the client and the tenants that reside in these buildings,” said Klein.

He says, unfortunately, that’s not happening right now.

He adds that his bill balances privacy and protection.

MJ

great .. they will be able to respond KNOWING IN ADVANCE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SHOOT SOMEONE TO DEATH.
Nick

Uh,,, how will police alter their behavior when they confront a violent psychopath if they knew it was a violent psychopath ahead of time? They’ll shoot it quicker?

Yet ANOTHER WASTE of taxpayers’ time and dollars by a politician with time on it’s hands. Try real work for once and stop wasting our money.

Judy

Nick you obviously have never had a mentally ill person in your family; and I don’t wish it you or my worst enemy either.

Judy

meant “I don’t wish it on you”
Nick

So you’re saying your family is a line of violent genetic defects? And I’m supposed to be sympathetic??? And I should be “understanding” when you defects go on a rampaging fit? Go crawl into a hole and leave the humans alone.

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