Law Enforcement and Mentally Ill, Homeless

Re “Waiting for Danger Can Prove Deadly to the Mentally Ill,” Commentary, Nov. 13:

As a police officer in Southern California, I recognize that our community is home to a high number of mentally ill who are homeless and to those who are adult children still living with and, in many cases, frightening their parents. Every day officers in my division respond to a call involving such a subject. It is discouraging to be able to do nothing more than stand there with my figurative hands in my pockets because current legislation doesn’t allow much more.

I cannot put handcuffs on a person and take away his liberty without probable cause to arrest or without clear guidance and protection from California’s Welfare and Institutions Code. When parents insist I take their son away because he refuses to take his psychiatric medication and is acting out, I can only suggest they consult their doctor--that the family is responsible.

Cuts in state funding have forced many of these cases out of the hands of mental health professionals, into the laps of police officers. Most of these officers are young and have only a high school education and cursory classroom instruction in how to handle the mentally ill. I continue to hope that with our “booming economy” some funding can be found to give more help where it’s needed.

RICHARD ANDERT

West Hills

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I read with great interest the Oct. 29 article and compassionate Nov. 7 letter in response, regarding the “sweeping of the homeless” off skid row. For the last two weeks, I have toured the row daily.

The homeless have not gone anywhere, and the LAPD is not doing anything that hasn’t been done in the past. Periodically, the predators who prey on the homeless to sell them drugs, force them into prostitution or inflict violence on them increase to a level that even the city of Los Angeles won’t tolerate on the row. There are just as many homeless on the row today as there were two weeks ago, and there are just as few dollars and solutions. We, as a city and country, lack the political and moral will to deal with this complex problem, which can’t be solved by sound bites.

This should not be laid on the back of law enforcement. They did not cause it and they cannot solve it. Until enough of us look in the mirror and decide to force our politicians to create an effective national plan to end homelessness, the problem will continue to grow.

BUD HAYES, CEO

SRO Housing Corp.

Los Angeles