The duties of a police Chief center around planning on how to safeguard the residents of a medium city. To achieve security objectives as a police chief, I have to prioritize specific factors and to seal any loopholes based on law enforcement strategies. One of the elements is impaired mental perpetrators of criminal activities. Many things come into play when dealing with mentally disabled criminals. Thus, my department devised programs on how to deal with criminals with mental issues. Additionally, I had to outline a plan on how the department would handle cases to do with mentally ill criminals.
An average officer encounters a mentally ill criminal severally during an operation. Therefore, it is only natural for the department to increase programs that enhance an officer's mind and sharpen skills that in turn help them to deal with situations more efficiently and defuse any tension that arises from such circumstances (Parry, & American Bar Association, 2009). More so, programs educate an officer and make them look at the various perspectives when dealing with such criminals. In fact, programs such as the policing of people with mental illnesses give an in-depth look at how an officer react when faced with a mentally ill criminal and defines the role of an officer. Most of the times, encounters between the police and mentally impaired criminals is dangerous to both of them. Hence, incorporating programs that assist authorities to learn on the issue brings about a peaceful environment.
Programs go hand in hand with resources that will see to it that issues addressed in the plans come to life through implementation. One of the funds is the federal rights such as the disabilities act. The act helps to distinguish threats posed by people with mental illness and how to identify one before any confrontation. For instance through the body language and sign language (Parry, & American Bar Association, 2009).
Mentally impaired offenders need a separate system from the standard one. For example, their forensic testing, assessment and management layers differently from the typical one. In fact, the system is more complicated and needs the assistance of a psychiatrist on standby to give an accurate evaluation into the mind of the criminal. Coupled with a psychiatrist and a psychologist, extensive work goes into guiding the officers through information derived from such criminals. Therefore, an effective plan needs to factor in a specialty such as psychiatrists and psychologists as valuable resources (Heller, & Dubber, 2011).
The criminal procedure is another factor that needs a lot of consideration when trying to implement a plan that will handle mental decreased criminals. The impaired psychological act of 2003 caters for procedures that handle cases in such contexts. The bill determines if an individual is fit to stand trial or not in court. The process is critical as it decides what passes for impairment and what does not. In addition, the procedure takes into account impairment in court and gives the appropriate punishment based on the crime perpetrated. After specific criminal sentencing, the same process paves the way for other ways of dealing the criminal other than the confinement since it anticipates the cases from the beginning to the end (Heller, & Dubber, 2011).
In short, to ensure justice and fairness on both sides of the divide a new system apart from the typical one needs to deal with cases to do with mental impairment. First ensuring that programs incorporated into the department give an individual the technics to handle criminal with mental challenges. Resources such as federal laws are critical in ensuring that justice gests a chance to shine bright.
References
Parry, J., & American Bar Association. (2009). Criminal mental health and disability law, evidence and testimony: A comprehensive reference manual for lawyers, judges, and criminal justice professionals. Chicago, Ill: ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law, Criminal Justice Section.
Heller, K. J., & Dubber, M. D. (2011). The handbook of comparative criminal law. Stanford, Calif: Stanford Law Books.
