Del Norte Sheriff responds to Appeals Court Decision on Non-Criminal Mental Health Calls

Citing a trend following a recent  Ninth District Court of Appeals decision involving qualified immunity on mental health calls, Del Norte Sheriff Garrett Scott will no longer dispatch his deputies to non-criminal mental health calls.

The Appeals Court ruled on a 2019 Las Vegas incident where a detained individual called 9-1-1 for help. Responding officers used force on the individual leading to rendering the individual unconscious and who later died in custody.

The Court ruled the force was unreasonable and questioned whether officers should have been involved at all, as no crime had been committed.

Qualified immunity is at stake. 

Sheriff  Garrett Scott responded, “ There must a crime in progress before our deputies will be dispatched. Law enforcement has been pushed back so far by the Courts, the message is clear: law enforcement has no place in dealing with mental health issues.”

“The responsibility of assisting those with mental health needs belongs with the trained staff from the mobile crisis units from Dept.of Health and Human Services,” continued the Sheriff.

Under the new policy, dispatchers will ask callers if a criminal element or danger to others is present.

Scott underscored his hope the U.S Supreme Court will take up Ninth District Court.

Training for all staff begins immediately.