A month ago, to this day, Sammy Yatim was shot to death by Toronto Police, on an abandoned streetcar, by a constable, who was later charged with second degree murder, for his actions. Yatim is another victim, in a long string of victims, experiencing a mental crisis, to die at the hands of police, in the province of Ontario, which several coroner inquests have recommended that the focus of policing should be changed from a position, which escalates the situation, to de-escalating. For the police, are trained to respond in a way, which often escalates the situation, by using a challenging and aggressive voice that increases the level of tension, for all sides, involved.
Not sure, the changes made today, allowing for greater access to stun guns, will change the outcomes, of these previous deaths. As witnessed, by the RCMP use of stun guns, in the death of Robert Dziekański, at Vancouver International Airport, in October 14, 2007. For Mr. Dziekański didn’t understand English, and had no translator there to help, defuse the situation, from escalating further, to the point, where the Mounties were unjustified, in their usage of stun guns and tried to cover it up.
Sadly, in a city of 2.5 million people, Toronto doesn’t have the needed crisis response teams that operate 24 hours or located at every police division. Adding to the burden of this stress, is the need for trained translators to handle the various immigrant communities located here.
I understand, Toronto police are placed, in an awkward situation of being the first responders, to a crisis situation, better handled, by a psychiatric nurse, instead of a constable, armed with a Gluck 9 mm, without the needed training, in dealing with a person, in a mental health crisis. I wish, there was a better solution to this problem that address this problem, today, not tomorrow or so other future date. As too many people have died, who should have.
Below, I have included, a news article, about the coming charges to the rules of engagement that police are allowed to use stun guns, in Ontario.
[DLMURL="http://ca.news.yahoo.com/ontario-police-rules-changing-sammy-yatim-shooting-112227983.html"]http://ca.news.yahoo.com/ontario-police-rules-changing-sammy-yatim-shooting-112227983.html[/DLMURL]
Not sure, the changes made today, allowing for greater access to stun guns, will change the outcomes, of these previous deaths. As witnessed, by the RCMP use of stun guns, in the death of Robert Dziekański, at Vancouver International Airport, in October 14, 2007. For Mr. Dziekański didn’t understand English, and had no translator there to help, defuse the situation, from escalating further, to the point, where the Mounties were unjustified, in their usage of stun guns and tried to cover it up.
Sadly, in a city of 2.5 million people, Toronto doesn’t have the needed crisis response teams that operate 24 hours or located at every police division. Adding to the burden of this stress, is the need for trained translators to handle the various immigrant communities located here.
I understand, Toronto police are placed, in an awkward situation of being the first responders, to a crisis situation, better handled, by a psychiatric nurse, instead of a constable, armed with a Gluck 9 mm, without the needed training, in dealing with a person, in a mental health crisis. I wish, there was a better solution to this problem that address this problem, today, not tomorrow or so other future date. As too many people have died, who should have.
Below, I have included, a news article, about the coming charges to the rules of engagement that police are allowed to use stun guns, in Ontario.
[DLMURL="http://ca.news.yahoo.com/ontario-police-rules-changing-sammy-yatim-shooting-112227983.html"]http://ca.news.yahoo.com/ontario-police-rules-changing-sammy-yatim-shooting-112227983.html[/DLMURL]
