Update: 3pm
The president of the Austin Police union defends officers mental health training.
A University of Texas report issued this week says Austin Police lead the nation in police shootings involving mental health calls. Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday says his officers are getting the most mental health training of any department in Texas. “Just the other night we unfortunately had to take someone’s life that was having a mental health crisis, but when you walk out and start shooting at police officers, there’s just no other way around that type of issue and you have to use deadly force.”
Casaday says all officers receive 40 hours of mental health training with some receiving even more. Casaday says despite that report his officers do a good job responding to the thousands of calls where mental health is a factor.
Original:
The Austin Police Department is defending itself as the Austin Community Law Center and UT Law Human Rights clinic release a report claiming APD is violating Human Rights, because it ranks 1st among large US cities for fatal shootings on mental health calls per capita. In a statement APD officials write, “The first line of the Philosophy of the Austin Police Department reads: “The protection of life is the primary core value and guiding principle of the Austin Police Department.” This philosophy is reflected in APD’s leadership, training, and policies.”
The department said the use of deadly force will be used as a last resort and only after other reasonable alternatives have failed or been determined to be impractical.
They say, APD works closely with public and mental health groups to develop and create its training for all officers who must encounter those in the throws of a mental health crisis. They also refute any claims that APD has not trained it officers in de-escalation techniques and added it has also adopted a policy requiring the use of such techniques whenever reasonable.
They also say APD is taking seriously its responsibility to improve and is taking step to do just that.
The Austin Community Law Center and UT Law Human Rights clinic release a report claiming APD is violating Human Rights, because it ranks 1st among large US cities for fatal shootings on mental health calls. The center’s Brian McGiveren said, “the main problem with APD is that, they have not adopted better practices that have been pioneered in other parts of the country.” he continued, “We’re actually lagging behind cities like Houston and Dallas currently.” He said, as good as APD cops are, they are not prepared for these kinds of situations.
He recommends the Department adopt the “Memphis Model.” He that involves more mental health professionals and treatment integrated into police responses to mental health calls. He said the recent City of Austin budget and APD pledges to increase mental health training are steps in the right direction.
(Photo:Shutterstock/Kokoulina)
