Mental health calls take toll on village police – Evening Observer

Fredonia Police Chief David Price informed the Fredonia Board of Trustees this week his department is getting swamped by calls dealing with mentally ill people.

As a department weve been very busy. Were struggling with a lot of mental health calls, Price said. There are a couple injured police officers dealing with those calls, but were making it.

How are the resources from the county for mental health calls? asked Trustee Nicole Siracuse.

Were dealing with it as a department, Price responded. The calls weve dealt with have happened after business hours. Theyre violent people. We had one guy who actually came to the window and wanted us to arrest him. Theres a lot more to it.

Where I struggle is, you know, I have two cops on the road and we have to call in two cops to take them to Jamestown, he went on. Theres a huge expense to it and risk. Im just making you aware, because its still an area of strong concern that were dealing with.

Is that something thats increased exponentially recently? asked Mayor Douglas Essek.

Price responded, Since COVID with all the law changes, and the closure of prisons and releasing people and not locking them up, and mental health facilities closing, theyre left to our

Theyre left to medicate themselves and take care of themselves and its not happening, Essek said.

And theyre incapable, Price continued. Its not just our community, but when (Fredonias) force is the size it is, it poses problems with finding personnel to transport and control the matters. But theres a cost and thats why Im letting you know.

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Mental health calls take toll on village police - Evening Observer