Responding to the Death of Dwayne Jeune
Here is my statement in response to today's news that Dwayne Jeune, an emotionally distressed person, was shot and killed by police in his Brooklyn home:
"The shooting and killing of emotionally distressed persons (EDP) is still all too common. Though we don’t know all the details of this afternoon’s shooting, we do know that not enough police officers have received Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), an evidence-based, 40-hour program where officers learn how to properly defuse a situation with a person exhibiting emotional distress.
We have been calling on the NYPD to train 15,000 officers. To date, approximately 2,500 have been trained. It's a start, but not enough.
Furthermore, we continue to ask the city to establish a procedure, as has been done elsewhere, to direct 911 calls involving an emotionally disturbed individual to CIT-trained officers, ensuring a better response, and better outcomes for our family, friends and neighbors experiencing emotional distress.
In April 2017, in response to an OIG report, the NYPD reiterated its commitment to support New Yorkers experiencing emotional distress through enhanced training in crisis de-escalation techniques. While we continue to appreciate these sincere efforts, we have grave concerns about the ongoing response to individuals. Today is a sad and stark reminder that there is much more to be done."
More Info
- Shooting of Emotionally Disturbed Man Puts Focus on New Training
New York Times article featuring Community Access, 8/1/17 - NYPD says Brooklyn Man, Fatally Shot by Officer, Lunged with a Knife
WNYC article featuring Community Access, 7/31/17 - Continuing Dialog with the NYPD
Community Access blog post, 4/30/17
Community Access provides housing, health, and employment services to individuals with mental health concerns. We have been a leading advocate to have the NYPD expand Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) to 15,000 police officers, 10,000 more than the current plan calls for.
