INTELWAR BLUF: The interaction of police forces with mentally distressed individuals often results in fatal outcomes. Alternative, non-carceral interventions are being tested across the nation, many of which involve local communities and mental health professionals. Carefully examining individual experiences and providing more comprehensive mental health services may improve public safety.
OSINT: Najee Seabrooks, a man reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis, sought protection from the police but tragically became another name on the list of people killed by police during a mental health episode. He was a violence intervention specialist with the Paterson Healing Collective. Despite the collective’s appeal to intervene and restrain Seabrooks nonviolently, their pleas were denied by the Paterson police, leading to a fatal shooting. This poignant incident brings to the forefront the urgent need for police reform regarding mental health situations.
Nationwide, people with severe mental illnesses are overrepresented in police encounters and lethal casualties. Therefore, developing alternative methods of responding to such situations is vitally needed. One such step is the ARRIVE Together program in New Jersey. The certified mental health screener and New Jersey police officers team up to address 911 calls for behavioral