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A Resolution urging the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department to expand its use of mental health professionals in responding to calls involving an individual experiencing a mental health crisis.
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WHEREAS, on January 27, 2022, nine law enforcement officers, including six officers from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD), shot and killed 37-year-old Landon Eastep on Interstate 65; and
WHEREAS, his death came after a standoff with over a dozen officers. Mr. Eastep had a history of mental health issues and no mental health professionals were on the scene when he was killed; and
WHEREAS, in June 2021, MNPD partnered with the Mental Health Cooperative to launch a pilot program in the North and Hermitage precincts to provide expertise and staff in emergency behavioral health care for the co-response model Nashville Partners in Care; and
WHEREAS, data provided by the Nashville Partners in Care program have shown promising results in the first two quarters of the pilot. Co-response teams have responded to nearly 800 calls during the first two quarters; and
WHEREAS, in the pilot program’s second quarter, co-response teams responded to 247 calls, 43.8% of which required crisis assessment. Of those calls, only 3.9% resulted in arrest and 0.7% resulted in use of force; and
WHEREAS, while plans were already in place to expand the Partners in Care program to the Central and Midtown Hills precinct, this recent tragedy involving Mr. Eastep shows that expansion of this program to all eight precincts is vital; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council urges the expansion of the use of mental health professionals in responding to calls involving an individual experiencing a mental health crisis, and should make further efforts to expand the Nashville Partners in Care program to all MNPD precincts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. That the Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as urging the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department to expand its use of mental health professionals in responding to calls involving an individual experiencing a mental health crisis. This should include the expansion of the Nashville Partners in Care co-response model to all Metropolitan Nashville Police precincts.
Section 2. That this resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.