In a recent Facebook update, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper announced a change in county policy, stating that deputies will no longer respond to non-criminal mental health situations. This decision follows a ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in July 2024, in the case of Scott v. Smith, which examined a fatal incident involving police intervention in a mental health crisis.
According to the Facebook post of Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, the court's ruling found that the deceased’s Fourth Amendment rights were violated due to excessive force by law enforcement. In response, Sheriff Cooper stated, "Deputies will no longer respond to mental health calls where no crime is being committed." The goal is to redirect non-criminal mental health emergencies to professionals, such as the Sacramento County's Community Wellness Response Team (CWRT) and the 988 mental health crisis hotline.
Sheriff Cooper explained in the Facebook post, "Being mentally ill is not a crime. If no crime is occurring, law enforcement simply shouldn’t be there."
