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In wake of police shooting, Lancaster leaders call for more mental health resources from state, county

"I am clear beyond a doubt that we lack the tools, the resources, the expertise and the compassion to do this on our own here in the city of Lancaster, I need help. We need help.”

  • Anthony Orozco
Lancaster City Council president Ismail Smith-Wade El speaks at a press conference following the shooting, protests and destruction in Lancaster, Pa., on September 14, 2020.

 Kate Landis / WITF

Lancaster City Council president Ismail Smith-Wade El speaks at a press conference following the shooting, protests and destruction in Lancaster, Pa., on September 14, 2020.

(Lancaster) — Lancaster city leaders Monday directly addressed the need to have mental health professionals assist first responders.

The domestic disturbance call which culminated in 27-year-old Ricardo Munoz chasing an officer with a knife and ultimately being shot to death by that officer, could have had a vastly different result, according to elected officials.

Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace said the city has tried to implement social workers in certain situations.

Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace speaks at a press conference in Lancaster, Pa., on September 14, 2020.

Kate Landis / WITF

Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace speaks at a press conference in Lancaster, Pa., on September 14, 2020.

“Many neighbors on the street yesterday were asking about the use of force and response to calls for service that involve mental health,” Sorace said. “These are questions we are asking too, and it is why Lancaster is the only police department in the county with a social worker and an additional hire in progress and process.”

Sorace also made a plea for state legislators and county commissioners to create a “human-centered” approach to policing. She said the city alone cannot take on this task.

“We have rolled up our sleeves, done some local analysis we can share about calls for service and are ready to work with these partners to a better way,” Sorace said. “However, I am clear beyond a doubt that we lack the tools, the resources, the expertise and the compassion to do this on our own here in the city of Lancaster, I need help. We need help.”

City Council President Ismail Smith-Wade-El attended protests that broke out in the city Sunday night, which resulted in a number of businesses being damaged. Eight people were reportedly arrested for charges including arson and damaging the Lancaster City Police Bureau building.

“If we spend all our time talking about this in terms of the events of last night, and this morning, we will have missed a colossal opportunity to take the energy that we felt in the streets last night and turn it toward actual change,” he said.

Construction workers repair broken windows at the Lancaster City Police Bureau building following a night of protests on September 14, 2020.

Kate Landis / WITF

Construction workers repair broken windows at the Lancaster City Police Bureau building following a night of protests on September 14, 2020.

While he did touch on the protests and spat of vandalism, Smith-Wade-El instead focused much of his remarks on the topic of giving residents and police the support they need.

“I am acutely aware and from personal experience of the struggles that Lancastrians face in accessing equitable and affordable mental health care and I cannot help but wonder if Mr. Munoz got all the care he needed years ago, could we possibly be in a different place? Could his family and could that officer all be in a different place?” Smith-Wade-El asked in the press conference. “And this buttresses the notion that our county and each of the municipalities within it must take immediate action to make sure that behavioral health that housing and social services and other forms of care are immediately and readily available all across the county.”

Smith-Wade-El expressed confidence that many in City Hall would support socially-focused solutions to behavioral issues, rather than traditional policing.

“We talk a lot about diverting certain calls to social workers and intervenors, and the truth is that I would eagerly do that to keep my community safe and my officers safe and I am sure that council would support that effort as well,” Smith-Wade-El said.

Lancaster City Investment District employees, business owners and residents work to clean and repair the destruction following a night of protests in Lancaster, Pa., on September 14, 2020.

Kate Landis / WITF

Lancaster City Investment District employees, business owners and residents work to clean and repair the destruction following a night of protests in Lancaster, Pa., on September 14, 2020.

Minutes after the downtown news conference, community activists met on the 300 block of Laurel Street to discuss the needs of the community. Among them was Lancaster NAACP president Blanding Watson.

“We’re all here caucusing and having conversation on developing strategies and solutions to the problems that exist in mental health as well as racial profiling and the criminal justice system and mass incarceration, which is a continuing problem,”  Watson said “And also inequities that exist in economics in the city and throughout the county, the county for people of color.”

 

Anthony Orozco is a fellow with Report for America, a national service program that places talented emerging journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered topics and communities.

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