(San Mateo, CA) Police responded to a 9-1-1 call about a person walking through traffic. When police arrived, they found Chinedu Okobi who was an unarmed 36-year old Black man with a psychiatric disability. Shortly after police confronted Chinedu, he was forced to the ground by 5 officers and tased a total of 7 times. Chinedu went into cardiac arrest and died from this confrontation. The officers were ill-equipped for Chinedu’s needs and responded with escalating shows of force. The San Francisco Police Department estimates that up to 80 percent of calls for service in the city involve people facing mental health crises. Alternative responses for those facing a mental health crisis is needed more than ever. More of this story here.
Provincetown Police Department Implementing Body Cameras
The Provincetown Police Department will deploy body-worn cameras on all police officers starting Dec. 1, which the town said adds another layer of transparency to law