Good morning friends. This is brad schmittstorytelling columnist for The Tennessee.
Many Nashvilleans were shocked on January 27 when nine law enforcement officers opened fire on a man having a mental health episode in the middle of Interstate 65, killing him instantly. That man, Landon Eastep, first seen with a box cutter, eventually pulled out a cylindrical metal object and took a shooting positionthe catalyst for the officers to shoot him.
Various politicians and community leaders have questioned the police response. Many called on the Metropolitan Police to step up a recently launched program that pairs mental health counselors with patrol officers.
So who are these mental health counselors and what are their shifts like with the police? metropolitan government reporter Cassandra Stephenson give the readers fascinating and specific descriptions of calls handled by the Partners in Care pilot program.
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This article originally appeared in Nashville Tennessee: Who are these mental health experts working with the police?
