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Put focus on mental health issues to keep campus safe
Author(s) -
Hope Joan
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
campus security report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1945-6247
pISSN - 1551-2800
DOI - 10.1002/casr.30253
Subject(s) - mental health , law enforcement , face (sociological concept) , public relations , enforcement , psychology , medical education , political science , sociology , medicine , law , psychiatry , social science
Richard Beary, chief of police at the University of Central Florida, believes in keeping his campus safe by addressing the core problems that lead to crime and create safety challenges. And the biggest problem campus police units face is mental health issues. About 30 percent of people who are shot by law enforcement officers have mental health problems, Beary said. And on a large campus like UCF, many students struggle with mental health challenges. “The majority of our cases have young people who know they need help and are trying to get it,” Beary said. Campus officials can't just say, “See you in nine weeks [for a counseling appointment],” he added.