(KERO) — Lawmakers in several states are proposing legislation that would require more training for police in how to interact with someone in a mental crisis following some high-profile deaths.
The proposals were recommended in states like California. New York and Utah lean heavily on additional training for officers.
According to the Associated Press, none of the laws appear to address the root question: whether police should be the ones responding when someone is mentally ill.
A 2015 report says people with untreated mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed during a police encounter than others.
A law enforcement expert says training in mental health response hasn't changed for over 25 years and needs updating.
