Regional center stunt was irresponsible
The Sarpy County judge who ordered sheriff’s deputies to leave a handcuffed and shackled prisoner in a lobby at the Lincoln Regional Center was out of line.
Judge Robert Wester had a legitimate concern, but he chose an irresponsible, risky way to draw attention to the problem.
Wester committed the 19-year-old prisoner to the regional center after the prisoner was deemed incompetent to stand trial.
Then he told Lt. Steve Grabowski of the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office to leave the prisoner at the regional center even if the center refused to admit him.
Then Wester left on a vacation, driving to Philadelphia to see his son graduate.
Grabowski followed orders.
Two deputies waited with the prisoner for three hours at the regional center. After three hours they drove away, heading back to Sarpy County with the man sitting, handcuffed and shackled, in the lobby.
The problem is a familiar one. The mental health system in Nebraska is inadequate, simply underfunded and understaffed.
Presumably this state of affairs exists because the governor and state senators have chosen this way to save money.
No one wants higher taxes, but if anyone thinks they’re saving money with the current system, they need to think again.
What’s happening is that people with mental problems end up staying in jail or going to hospital emergency rooms or even riding around in police cruisers for hours.
One way or another, taxpayers end up paying the bill, and paying more for their medical care as hospitals try to recover their expenses.
The regional center has had a waiting list for months. Last month, York County Judge Alan Gless threatened to hold Gov. Dave Heineman and other state officials in contempt of court if room was not found for a man who had been held in jail for two months after he was committed to the regional center. The man had been found not guilty by reason of insanity in a knife attack on his mother and sister.
The threat by Gless was a better way of raising public awareness than the route chosen by Wester.
At least it targeted people who are in a position to remedy the situation.
Wester laid the problem on the doorstep of the front-line caregivers who already are overworked and stressed. To their credit, they stepped up. State officials reported the man was being provided care, nourishment and respect.
Obviously there are many people in the system who are frustrated with state government’s inability to deal with this public safety issue. They must, however, find better ways to deal with the problem than pulling foolish stunts.
Judge Robert Wester had a legitimate concern, but he chose an irresponsible, risky way to draw attention to the problem.
Wester committed the 19-year-old prisoner to the regional center after the prisoner was deemed incompetent to stand trial.
Then he told Lt. Steve Grabowski of the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office to leave the prisoner at the regional center even if the center refused to admit him.
Then Wester left on a vacation, driving to Philadelphia to see his son graduate.
Grabowski followed orders.
Two deputies waited with the prisoner for three hours at the regional center. After three hours they drove away, heading back to Sarpy County with the man sitting, handcuffed and shackled, in the lobby.
The problem is a familiar one. The mental health system in Nebraska is inadequate, simply underfunded and understaffed.
Presumably this state of affairs exists because the governor and state senators have chosen this way to save money.
No one wants higher taxes, but if anyone thinks they’re saving money with the current system, they need to think again.
What’s happening is that people with mental problems end up staying in jail or going to hospital emergency rooms or even riding around in police cruisers for hours.
One way or another, taxpayers end up paying the bill, and paying more for their medical care as hospitals try to recover their expenses.
The regional center has had a waiting list for months. Last month, York County Judge Alan Gless threatened to hold Gov. Dave Heineman and other state officials in contempt of court if room was not found for a man who had been held in jail for two months after he was committed to the regional center. The man had been found not guilty by reason of insanity in a knife attack on his mother and sister.
The threat by Gless was a better way of raising public awareness than the route chosen by Wester.
At least it targeted people who are in a position to remedy the situation.
Wester laid the problem on the doorstep of the front-line caregivers who already are overworked and stressed. To their credit, they stepped up. State officials reported the man was being provided care, nourishment and respect.
Obviously there are many people in the system who are frustrated with state government’s inability to deal with this public safety issue. They must, however, find better ways to deal with the problem than pulling foolish stunts.
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