In the wake of another officer-involved shooting of a man believed to be mentally ill, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and Chief Charlie Beck say the city’s police lead the way in training on how to handle the mentally ill. Conan Nolan reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on March 2, 2015.
In the wake of a fatal police shooting on Skid Row, Mayor Eric Garcetti said the Los Angeles Police Department is leading the nation in efforts to properly deal with the mentally ill.
"All officers are trained for instance in dealing with the capacity of mental health issues that people have out there," the mayor said. "These (LAPD) officers get an additional training above and beyond that."
The mayor's point was underscored earlier by Police Chief Charlie Beck, who said officers working on Skid Row are trained in identifying behavior, advising support agencies and defusing sometimes violent situations.
Beck said the officers involved in Saturday's shooting of a man were well trained.
"Several of the officers had participated and completed our most extensive mental illness training - over a 36-hour course," Beck said.
Some of those who work with the city on Skid Row issues disagree. They contend more training is needed for the officers' sake and those who live on the street.
Others say some officers do better than others.
Rick Ruiz, a convicted felon living on Skid Row, says he was angered by Saturday's shooting, but was inclined to cut police a break.
"They do the best that they can under the circumstances, this is like a jungle out here," Ruiz said. "After seeing what happened yesterday, the officers might have saved something from happening that could have been worse."
Two of the three officers involved in yesterday's shooting had body cameras that videotaped the confrontation.
News
Top news of the day
Besides helping with the investigation, it may shed light on how much the training has helped or needs improvement.
