[Mpls] Priorities, Priorities, Priorities

[Allen]

Hello,

I'd like to know if anyone has more information as to what is happening 
with the MPLS program to train and better deal with people who have 
mental problems.  Does anyone know how much money has been put in it 
lately?  Does the new chief suppor it?  Has their been much political 
pressure to find resources for the program?

I'm asking this because the impression I get is that the city and police 
department have dropped the ball on the program.  I realize that there 
have been changes at the top and that resources are strained.  
Nevertheless, this is a program that has a lot of potential in many ways 
: better P.R. for the city and the police department, saving resources 
in the system by better dealing with people in who are facing mental 
disorders, etc.  The impression I get is that every time someone 
unfortunate enough to be dealing with some of these mental issues waves 
a sword in public and gets shop, everyone gets their undies in a bunch, 
pound their chests, and calls for something to be done.  But once things 
have cooled off it's back to business as usual.  Yet the problems 
persists every day and night. 

If I remember correctly (IIRC), the city made a public push to implement 
a new program to give MPLS peace officers better training for these 
situations after the man that was threatening people with a machette was 
shot in an effort to protect people.  But since then there hasn't been 
much talk and from what I can figure out from poking around the programs 
low on the list of priorities.

Does anyone have more information on this?  Thank you.

Allen Graetz
Lowry Hill.