10 months ago
PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Portland's police chief released a video tape that he says backs up his contention that there are too many people with mental illness on the city's streets. Chief James Craig says people are not getting the treatment they need. The video was recorded Saturday with a police cruiser dash camera. A woman was on the Casco Bay Bridge threatening to commit suicide. She started to let go and was grabbed by Officer Joshua Wiseman. Craig says less than 24 hours later, the same woman was on the bridge, once again threatening to kill herself -- and once again, put officers in potential danger. Craig says the mental health system in Portland is broken and he wants to meet with mental health officials, hospitals and social workers to talk about ways to fix it. He adds despite their best efforts to deal with the mental health crisis in Portland, the department is becoming overwhelmed by the problem. Craig says all of the officers involved in both incidents over the weekend deserve a lot of credit for their bravery and quick thinking.
