Sun Sentinal
by Ben Wolford
May 17, 2013


A program in Palm Beach County intended to encourage residents to report suspicious behavior is attracting resistance from around the state.

Under the proposed "Violence Prevention Program," anyone who sees a potentially dangerous situation — a schizophrenic person with weapons, a war veteran making threats to passersby — could call a 24-hour hotline. Legitimate-sounding calls would trigger a visit by specially trained deputies in plain clothes or by mental health professionals.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff says a violence prevention unit could thwart would-be killers like the recent mass shooters in Connecticut and Colorado. The program will cost $3.2 million in the first year. The Florida Legislature agreed to pay $1 million of it.

(excerpted)
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-05...shaw-rick-scott

It sounds reasonable on the face of it,which leads me to believe I need to know more about it before giving my opinion.

The most evil acts of mankind were always based on what sounded reasonable at first.

I think the problem is that law enforcement and therapeutic mental health are and should be separate. Law enforcement shouldn't try to do therapy any more than mental health professionals should try to enforce laws. They can and do work together, but they need to remain separate.

Cops have no legal authority to enforce assumed violations, have they arrested the two cops in L.A. that shot up the news paper delivery people yet.