Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - A group of social workers is pushing back on Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown's plan to establish a Behavioral Health Team to work with police.
Just days after the Mayor's announcement, a group of social workers rallied in downtown Buffalo to voice displeasure in the plan that would embed social workers with police on mental health calls. Instead, they want no police presence at all.
"While having social workers accompany police to mental health calls may appeal to the general public, it is ineffective, unsafe, and unproven to reduce police violence in mental health situations," said India Walton.
The issue of police dealing with mental health situations was thrust into the spotlight by the death of Daniel Prude in Rochester, and the shooting of Willie Henley by police in Buffalo this past Saturday.
"Police are not first responders," Walton said. "Willie Henley was minding his own business. He was pursued by police. He was shot in the abdomen. We can not have any more of these instances."
Police were called to attend to Henley, who was behaving "erratically" for hours while swinging a baseball bat walking down Genesee Street. After being confronted by police, he swung the bat and struck a female officer multiple times.
"In many of these instances where there is a mental health crisis, it is the social worker, the mental health professional, that actually calls the Buffalo Police," Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said. "Right now, social workers are actually doing what these few people who came out to object don't want to see."
[shortcode-inline-related expand="1" link="/wben/news/local/buffalo-police-create-behavioral-health-team" headline="Buffalo Police create "Behavioral Health Team" in the wake of shooting of man in mental crisis" image="/media-library/image.jpg?id=63601118"]The Mayor stands by the decision to have mental health experts work with police.
"The officers and social workers of the Behavioral Health Team aim to get people in distress the assistance they need, produce a better outcome for that individual, and ensure the safety of everyone involved," Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said, in a statement. "The funding for this new initiative went to Endeavor Health Services and not to the Buffalo Police Department, so it cannot be allocated for a different purpose or to a different organization."
"Most importantly, the BHT will mean more social workers in the field helping people and more tools for police to peacefully resolve these situations, which are goals we all want to achieve."
