Woman dead after welfare check

[Opti]

Police released an officer's body cam video less than 24 hours after the rookie officer shot and killed a woman lying in the grass, while trying to shoot a dog charging at him. CBS DFW reports the rookie officer in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, who was released from supervised duty on July 1, responded to a welfare check Thursday about a woman who appeared to be passed out in a grassy area behind the plaza.


www.cbsnews.com/news/arlington-police-shooting-body-cam-video-cop-accidentally-killing-maggie-brooks-shooting-at-dog/

More recent article, with video showing the dead woman and the response after.

www.dailymail.co.uk/video/newsalerts/video-2251732/Video-Shocking-moment-cop-fatally-shoots-woman-aiming-dog.html


Unfortunately a man with a gun couldn't tell the dog was racing towards him because it was friendly, so he decided to fire at it. I'm surprised no one posted this. He did quit the force and was indicted. Did anyone else see this? Who should welfare checks calls go to? A disturbing amount of people whose welfare are supposed to checked end up having their life cut short.

[mollyanna58]

I believe that is part of the "defund the police" movement; to shift these kinds of checks to social workers instead of patrol officers.  However, I think a welfare check for someone apparently passed out in public would still go to the police.

Lots of dogs get shot by police.  Family pets get shot when they bark at police officers going into a home or yard to make an arrest.  My dog got a shotgun blast to the side of her face, from a deputy sheriff who was sent to "take care" of a stray pit-bull.  Her original intake picture at the rescue looks like an anatomical drawing, and she has a neck full of buckshot.  

[Tiny]

Yeah, there's so many things going on in that incident. (inexperienced officer and apparently 'charging' dog, AND someone on the ground (maybe hurt)?)

I admit I'm kind of questioning why a single officer was sent on this call. In my dense urban area - police generally come in pairs (even if they arrive in separate vehicles).

It's also kind of sad that the Fire Chief's daughter is living the 'homeless life'. That seems to imply addiction or mental illness.       


I wonder even if a social worker (or another officer) was involved if things would have been much different.  I guess it would have come down to if the added support person was familiar with the homeless in the area/aware that the dog (and woman) were accepted "homeless" and a recognized part of the community  and not a threat. 

[Opti]

Sept 24, 2020 11:46:48 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Yeah, there's so many things going on in that incident. (inexperienced officer and apparently 'charging' dog, AND someone on the ground (maybe hurt)?)

(I admit I'm kind of questioning why a single officer was sent on this call. In my dense urban area - police generally come in pairs (even if they arrive in separate vehicles).

It's also kind of sad that the Fire Chief's daughter is living the 'homeless life'. That seems to imply addiction or mental illness.

Or being poor. Not all homeless have addictions or mental illness. Plus I have a feeling some may develop one or the other out of the stress of homeless life.

[Tiny]

Sept 24, 2020 11:50:01 GMT -5 Opti said:

Sept 24, 2020 11:46:48 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Yeah, there's so many things going on in that incident. (inexperienced officer and apparently 'charging' dog, AND someone on the ground (maybe hurt)?)

(I admit I'm kind of questioning why a single officer was sent on this call. In my dense urban area - police generally come in pairs (even if they arrive in separate vehicles).

It's also kind of sad that the Fire Chief's daughter is living the 'homeless life'. That seems to imply addiction or mental illness.

Or being poor. Not all homeless have addictions or mental illness. Plus I have a feeling some may develop one or the other out of the stress of homeless life.

Not really arguing with you.   It's just that  I'd like to think that the 30 year old daughter of the local Fire Chief might have the family resources to have a place to live... I get that living in your parent's 'basement' is often frowned upon...   I've witnessed plenty of parents set up their adult kids (who have some issues) in apartments or some sort of housing.     I'm assuming that Fire Chief has an above median income.  

I feel bad all around for the family in the article no matter what the situation is.  A loved one died.     

[thyme4change]

😪

[happyhoix]

I saw somewhere (sorry it’s been a while so I can’t remember where) that a community experimented with sending out a social worker with a cop on all non- 911 calls, and they found that only 1% of the time was the cop required.

This article was talking about an incident where a woman called the police for help with her non verbal autistic son. The cops came, thought the kid was threatening and shot him. My mom once called the cops on my dad when he had dementia and was refusing to change out of his pajamas- he could get verbally threatening so that could have gone tragically.

Police are trained to deal with criminals. They’re also trained to be cautious and suspicious. They need to be, with criminals. But cops get called to a lot of other cases with mental health/ drug issues where a social worker would be better, Imho. Let the cops deal with the bad guys.

[Artemis Windsong]

happyhoix A agree a social worker would be good in the call outs that you describe. This leaves the dispatcher to make the determination if the caller isn't totally clear on what they will be dealing with.

Meth head is a dangerous mental health drug issue.