(Virginia) A bill recently passed the Virginia house and senate that would affect mental health awareness responses. The bill will create the Marcus alert system which is named after Marcus-David Peters who was shot and killed in 2018 during an encounter with Richmond police. Since two different bills were passed between the house and senate, a resolution is needed to pass a reconciled bill. “The bill would require Virginia Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and Criminal Justice Services to establish guidelines and training programs for crisis teams, call center employees, clinical staff and Marcus alert system users by Dec. 1, 2021. Every locality must have a Marcus alert system with care teams by July 1, 2022, according to the bill.” More of this story here.
Canada: The BC Federation of Labour Calls for Policing Alternatives
Several historic resolutions supporting Indigenous rights were considered at this year’s convention. “‘We have to come to terms with the violence that the police have
