The Mayor’s Racial Justice and Equity Alliance in Lansing conducted an online community update Tuesday. The presentation included reports on what is being done about city worker training and youth development. Police Chief Daryl Green was part of a discussion on the panel's criminal justice and public safety work.
Police chief Daryl Green called for more state resources to pay for a crisis stabilization center. That would be an alternative to taking people experiencing mental health crises to the city lockup.
“We can teach police officers to recognize mental health issues, and try to de-escalate those situations," Green says, "but the only other option we have is to take them to jail.”
Green said he has had conversations with the department’s social worker, who says she’s concerned for her safety in certain scenarios.
The panel expects to issue a final report to Mayor Andy Schor in May.
