Dear Representatives Kaptur and Bice,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you both of our support for H.R. 2502, the “Law Enforcement Training for Mental Health Crisis Response Act.”
According to recent studies, one in ten calls to 911 for law enforcement involve a person experiencing a mental illness or behavioral crisis, while one in three people taken to a hospital emergency room for psychiatric reasons are transported there by law enforcement. Officers are not always well-equipped to properly respond to mental health crises. Therefore, improving the available training for calls like these would reduce the risk of injury to both them and the individuals undergoing a crisis.
Your bill addresses an urgent need to provide our nation’s law enforcement and corrections officers with the necessary training to better recognize and respond appropriately. Our officers can and will respond to these calls for service with care, compassion, and professionalism and our officers, as well as our community members, will benefit from the training and resources this legislation provides.
On behalf of the more than 377,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I thank you both for your leadership on this issue. If I can provide any additional information about this bill, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President