One of the big stories in the news today was the arrest and seizure of drugs, cash and guns from a local man's home.
From the news report it appeared from the very onset this was a person with questionable mental faculties. Meeting the deputy at your door with a gun on the floor, cash protruding out of your bathrobe pockets and "hearing someone in your house". As well as admitting to having PTSD.
This is a convicted felon, with multiple guns, drugs and excessive cash. He was taken to the NW Medical Center and on to the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center for treatment. Later he was booked into the Washington County Jail and released on $50,000.00 bail.
Do you wonder if the bail money was drug money? Why wasn't he kept for treatment on his disorder? Who made the decision that he was okay to go to jail and then home?
The rest of the story is unknown and I am not Paul Harvey, but for me the greatest crime here is letting a mentally disturbed individual return to an environment he felt was unsafe. It was that initial fear that led police to discover this horrific drug and gun operation.
It is not the fault of the police, it is a much bigger problem. To many lawyers writing to many laws and expecting those who serve and protect to follow every crossed T and dotted I. Not enough physicians to recognize and effectively treat mental illness. To many rules and to little common sense.
This man is a criminal with a mental illness. It is evident when just looking at the minimal facts, but it probably take over 10 years for any of this to work itself out in our current court system. Why, because of the continual delays in trial dates, funding and staffing issues at the state hospital and overburdened justice system.
A friend of mine is severely mentally ill and has been in the county jail for over 18 months for a crime he committed during one of his episodes. Yes, he is guilty, but the fact remains he needs to be in a treatment center getting meds and care. He should never be on the streets again because of his behavior and history, but jail is not the place for him and the enforcement officers are not trained medical personal.
So.......does this make me want to see increasing gun control guidelines, NO ! But I am a believer in supporting of mental health funding now more than ever. Step up and be counted once again. Call the White House, your elected officials or send emails and voice you support for better mental health care for all of us.
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