The suspect in a deadly crash last weekend in Brooklyn Park was the subject of several mental health-related calls in recent years, according to Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley.
Christopher Dewayne Rice, 46, was charged Wednesday with intentional second-degree murder for running over and killing Paul Pfiefer, 65, as he picked up mail at the end of his driveway.
Bruley on Wednesday told WCCO Radio's Adam Carter that circumstances around Rice's mental health created challenges for the Brooklyn Center Police Department's mental health unit.
"He [Christoper] had his own provider, meaning that he was suffering from severe mental health issues and had been through the system numerous times. He had a provider who was supposed to be caring for him or taking care of him," Bruley said. "That really limits the ability of our mental health unit to intervene."
Although Rice has yet to officially be charged in Pfiefer's death, a judge ordered he be held in-custody for the next 50 days because he poses a risk to others and himself.
Bruley said last weekend's tragic events add to the frustration about treating individuals suffering from mental health.
"You know it's not the fault of any, one person," he said. "Everybody in the system is trying to do the right thing. But the system really is in the best interest of the person suffering from mental health issues to get them home and back into society."
Bruley said that they day before Pfiefer was killed, the police department had a call with Hennepin County about Rice's threatening behavior. Despite a judge's order, HCMC did not notify authorities about Rice's release.
According to Bruley, more needs to be done when it comes to individuals suffering from severe mental health who commit violent acts.
"Our system is not geared to send people with mental health issues to criminal trial, nor should it, because those people don't belong in prison," Bruley said. "But they also can't be put back into our communities to victimize community members."
Bruley believes he is seeing a positive result from have a detective who is trained in mental health issues partner with a social worker from Hennepin County. The biggest impact is helping low-level offenders get mental health help.
"Their root cause of the problem is mental health issues, but they've never been evaluated," he said. "That's what this group does. Even if someone gets a ticket or gets arrested, this group based on indicators will go out and meet with them and find them help."
