EDITORIAL: Education on Mental Illness Pivotal for Law Enforcement

Feb. 24--The Lewis County Jail is full of men and women accused of committing crimes, some instances more heinous than others.

Among the inmates are sexual predators, thieves, violent assailants and fraudsters of all sorts.

Many of them, though, fit a uniform description -- mentally ill.

Statistics vary, but studies have shown that as many as half of the people held in the country's prisons and jails suffer from diseased minds.

It's a reality created in part by the massive de-institutionalization of individuals that occurred in the latter portion of the 1900s.

No matter the cause, the result is an environment where law enforcement officials are often in contact with these troubled minds, forced to decide within moments if their erratic behavior poses a risk.

People have been killed because of an action as simple as not taking medication, or having a condition that has never been diagnosed.

That's why it's important for the men and women who carry firearms and badges to be aware of the potential illnesses driving the behavior of the people they encounter on the streets.

As detailed in a story on page Main 3 of today's edition, the Lewis County Sheriff's Office is taking steps to improve its ability to respond to such situations.

The sheriff's office has partnered with Cascade mental health to conduct mental health first aid training over the past two weeks. Fifty-two members of the sheriff's office, in addition to personnel from other agencies, learned how to better deal with individuals suffering from mental disorders.

"Law enforcement has a tough job of needing to enforce laws, yet apply basic understanding of mental health disorders to specific situations so they can try to seek appropriate resources to help people," Sheriff Rob Snaza said. "We continue to see many people who suffer from mental health issues in the field and in the jail. The jail is not always the best place for them, which is why we continue to partner with Cascade Mental Health, to ensure our folks have the best tools and resources to address these situations."

Snaza is wise to pursue increased education for members of his staff. He's seen the effects of mental illnesses during his decades as a law enforcement officer in Lewis County.

It's a decision that could very well save lives in the future, while preventing deputies from making a decision in the heat of the moment that they will one day regret.

We encourage Lewis County commissioners to continue in their efforts to help the sheriff's office fund and improve its ability to serve those with mental illnesses.

Two weeks of training is a great start, but deputies deserve a deeper education on an issue that has increasingly become a pervasive part of their daily duties.

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