Wabash Police Chief Charles Smith and Wabash County Sheriff Bob Land are both in favor of new legislation that will require police to be trained to deal with those suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia.
The measure, introduced by State Rep. Bill Friend, passed the Indiana House unanimously earlier this week.
Smith said the training will benefit his officers, who occasionally deal with possible Alzheimer’s patients during domestic situations.
“I think it’s definitely going to be a benefit to both sides,” he said.
Smith indicated that the more officers are prepared to handle various situations, the better it will be.
Land also indicated that the new training requirement will be beneficial to his staff. He said that his officers do not often deal with Alzheimer’s patients, but they do occasionally come across such cases.
“They deal with it every so often,” Land said.
Friend’s bill was filed following an incident in June 2012 when 64-year-old James Howard, an advanced Alzheimer’s patient living in Miller’s Merry Manor in Peru, was tased by a police officer five times for refusing to enter an ambulance and comply with the officer’s commands.
Howard reportedly became combative toward nursing home staff and police, prompting the use of a taser to subdue him. Following an investigation, Peru Police Officer Gregory Martin was terminated from the department for using excessive force.
House Bill 1044 will mandate training in handling people with Alzheimer’s disease, related senile dementia and missing endangered adults. Officers attending the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy will be trained how to properly interact with individuals with Alzheimer’s.
Friend, R-Macy, authored the bill after Howard’s family came to him and asked for stricter laws requiring police training in dealing with Alzheimer’s patients.
“This disease is becoming more widespread, and this bill will help law enforcement officers take proper action when interacting with people who have the disease,” he said earlier this year.
The Alzheimer’s training will be added to a list of conditions on which officers are currently trained including autism, mental retardation, mental illness, addictive disorders and developmental disabilities, the press release said. The proposed amendment to the Indiana Code will require officers to undergo six hours of training in dealing with people with such conditions.
Rep. Mike Karickhoff, R-Kokomo, co-authored the new bill and said that citizens should feel secure knowing that officers are looking out for their best interest and are properly trained to handle any situation.
“This bill adds an essential layer of protection to a group of citizens who deserve to be respected and cared for,” Karickhoff said in the press release.
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