Sonya Massey’s family spoke to the media following the release of police officer body-worn camera footage weeks after her murder on July 7. During the press conference, the family’s attorney, Ben Crump, pointed out that Ms. Massey struggled with mental health issues. “She was dealing with some issues and she needed a helping hand,” Mr. Crump said. CPE data is cited regarding officer interactions with people experience a mental health emergency:
According to the Center for Policing Equity, a research center, law enforcement officers often interact with people who are dealing with mental illness.
“It is estimated that 7 to 10 percent of all police encounters involve a person who has a mental illness. Most of these encounters do not involve any violence, and some don’t involve a crime at all,” according to information released by the organization. “People with mental illness are no more likely than anyone else to act violently. Despite this, police arrest, injure and kill people with mental illness at higher rates than people without mental illness.”
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