General
Public Comment
From:Theresa Bass
Sent:Monday, October 31, 2022 1:52 PM
To:Public Comment
Subject:FW: \[EXTERNAL\] Tragic Gap in Police Skill With Mentally Ill
From: durfeycraig778@gmail.
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2022 10:04 PM
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<pamha@ci.garden-grove.ca.us>; 'communityrelations' <communityrelations@ggcity.org>; pio_department@ggusd.us
Cc: 'communityrelations' <communityrelations@ggcity.org>; 'Congressman Alan Lowenthal'
<CA47ALima@mail.house.gov>; assemblymember.daly@assembly.ca.gov; Assemblymember.Davies@assembly.ca.gov;
assemblymember.quirk-silva@assembly.ca.gov; Assemblymember.Nguyen@Assembly.ca.gov;
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DIANA.LARA@sen.ca.gov; georgeb@ggcity.org; citymanager@ggcity.org; City Manager <Citymanager@anaheim.net>;
Theresa Bass <TBass@anaheim.net>; joneill@garden-grove.org; kimn@garden-grove.org;
SHELLYHOLMAN60@yahoo. 'Jim Tortolano' < ; jonathan.peterson@sen.ca.gov
Subject: \[EXTERNAL\] Tragic Gap in Police Skill With Mentally Ill
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10-29-2022
(P.R.D.D.C.)
PARENTS FOR THE RIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN
CRAIG A. DURFEY FOUNDER OF P.R.D.D.C.
GARDEN GROVE, CA 92842
CELL
SOCIALEMOTIONALPAWS.COM
FACEBOOK: CRAIG DURFEY
U.S. HOUSE OF CONGRESS H2404 - HONORING CRAIG DURFEY FOR HIS FIGHT AGAINST AUTISM
... Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2003-03-27/pdf/CREC-2003-03-27.pdf
new website socialemotionalpaws.org
To whom it may concern.
Tragic Gap in Police Skill With Mentally Ill
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BY CRAIG A. DURFEY
JULY 2, 2000 12 AM PT
CRAIG A. DURFEY WRITES FROM GARDEN GROVE
I am an advocate for the rights of children and father of two developmentally
disabled children, one with autism, the other with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, or ADHD. There’s an urgent need for both public awareness and
legislation for training our police and fire departments, emergency agencies and
educational employees to recognize and properly handle the behavior of the
developmentally disabled and mentally ill.
This year, police in California responded to at least two cases involving
developmentally disabled or mentally ill people that resulted in death. The
officers weren’t properly trained to distinguish between criminal behavior and the
behavior of mentally ill individuals. The officers incorrectly assumed the people
were displaying threatening or non-compliant behavior. And this problem is not
just statewide, it’s national, and it’s growing.
One case was in San Diego, on Feb. 8, involving William Anthony Miller, 42.
Apparently Miller, a longtime homeless San Diegan, was hitting pedestrians with
a tree branch. When officers arrived on the scene they ordered Miller to drop the
branch. Miller, who suffers from mental illness, did not comply and instead
charged at officers with the tree branch. Three of the five officers opened fire on
Miller, killing him instantly. He easily could have been subdued by a net.
A different scenario played out on Feb. 26 in Orange County. Rose V. Failla, 52, a
resident of Fullerton who family members said has a history of mental illness,
allegedly stole an ambulance in Anaheim and plowed into a car, killing two
people.
Originally, concerned neighbors noticed Failla wandering around their backyard
and called authorities. Police responded and, based on their limited training and
background, incorrectly determined that Failla was not eligible to be admitted for
a 72-hour observation by a qualified health professional in a mental health
facility. She later admitted herself into Anaheim Memorial Medical Center for
treatment. Before doctors could get to her, she ran outside the hospital and drove
off in an unattended ambulance with the keys inside.
Although the liability here does not belong to the Orange Police Department, this
situation clearly shows that the police’s determination of who is a threat to
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themselves and others was way off the mark. Simply put: They need special
training and they need it now.
Currently, there is no continuous education and training for emergency personnel
and agencies to identify certain behavior and handle these situations
accordingly.
Several pending Assembly bills address the issue of training programs.
Since 1999, there have been efforts in researching, raising public awareness and
seeking legislation, at a grass-roots level. Until now, with the exception of the
Orange County Police Chiefs Assn., these agencies have remained relatively
silent on this issue. Until annual forums are created where parents, children and
professionals can be heard, there will be a continuing gap between community
policing and citizens, and unfortunately more unnecessary deaths.
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