In Drexel Hill Shooting, Police Get Reminder of Volatility of Some Mental Illnesses
By Pat Loeb
DREXEL HILL, Pa. (CBS) -- As Delaware County authorities continue to investigate yesterday's fatal shooting of a man who threatened police, it seems clear that mental illness played a role in the suspect's behavior, highlighting the fact that police frequently find themselves on the frontlines of addressing mental health issues.
"This is sort of the very worst case scenario," notes John Head, of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, who says police are too often forced to intervene in a mental health crisis because services were not available before an illness got to that stage, "when it's the most difficult point for treatment to be effective."
Though mental health advocates say only a tiny percentage of mentally ill people become involved with law enforcement, it's enough of a problem that police departments routinely send officers for crisis intervention training.
Philadelphia police commissioner Charles Ramsey says such training has helped de-escalate many situations but, he points out, can't cover every scenario.
"There are times when force is necessary, and it's very unfortunate when you have a situation like that," he tells KYW Newsradio.
A recent national study found that half the people shot and killed by police each year were believed to have mental health problems.
Advocates are calling for more services for the mentally ill and, if necessary, court-ordered services for people exhibiting problems.