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Human Rights Commission Minutes September 19, 2012 — Revised Draft Minutes Page 10 of 13 403 Youth Commissioner Dao asked how feasible the medical bracelet would be for mentally ill 404 individuals. Police Chief Mathwig stated some bracelets were already available, but some 405 people do not wish to wear them given the stigma associated with the bracelet. 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 Chair Grefenberg encouraged Ms Moen to provide staff with contact information on the stigma training. Mr. Partico understood the importance of the officers seeing a weapon on scene. However, knowing that the individual was mentally challenged, he felt another route should have been chosen. 414 Commissioner Jill Brisbois questioned how the neighbors should have acted to get the pertinent 415 information to the Police Department. Police Chief Mathwig stated a lieutenant was made aware 416 by the neighbors that the gun could be a toy and this information was brought to his attention. 4l 7 However, with the number of agencies and individuals on site, this may not always be the case. 418 He stated the neighbors could also call 911 and report further information on the case as this will 419 be brought to the officer's attention. 420 42l Commissioner Brisbois said she understood the Police position that the gun trumped the 422 situation, and that was the only thing that mattered. However, the situation should have been 423 trumped by autism, she said. 424 425 Police Chief Mathwig did not feel it was fair to state only the gun mattered. Of course, the 426 officers were concerned about the young man, and his neighbors. He stated autism was a 427 spectrum disease and the department knew that this individual could function on his own for 428 several hours each day based on prior contact at a local bar. He explained that autism would not 429 kill an officer, but that the pistol could have. 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 Commissioner Thao stated this was an emotional situation for her as her daughter was autistic. She understood the needs of inentally_challenged individuals. Commissioner Brisbois felt the department was making a simplistic statement in earlier saying that the young man functions in public because he was found in a bar. The underlying issue was he had a gun and that he had autism. 438 Ms. Greiling questioned why the young man was charged, as this was a source of grief for his 439 mother. She understood the charges were dropped; however, this was not retracted in the 44o newspaper. Police Chief Mathwig explained that crimes were committed and it was up to the 441 judicial system to find him able to stand triaL It was not law enforcement's job to understand his 442 intent. 443 444 445 ��*'�� ;r�;�'°N* Ms. Greiling indicated the press followed the case and did the write up, which 446 had caused distress to the ,voun� man's family. She suggested that future cases with mentally 447 challenged individuals be not charged until there was a clear understanding of the facts. Chair