Cops don't just enforce the law. They must also find ways to peacefully resolve mental health emergencies. Reporter Bob Moffitt rides along with Sacramento police officer Michelle Lazark. She's part of a team that is trained to respond to the non-stop need for mental health services in the county.
The day shift for the Sacramento Police Department's Psychiatric Emergency Response Team has barely started and the calls are already rolling in. Lazark is listening to the radio and making cell phone calls.
"Hi, James, this is Officer Michelle Lazark with the Sacramento police department," Lazark leaves a message."I understand you've received some really bad news and I'd like to talk to you. Give me a call. I'd like to help you."
Officer Lazark has seen James on the street before and she has an idea where she might find him.
As she climbs into her patrol car, she gets another call. A woman is looking for her son. He's quadriplegic with a mental illness and a history of using methamphetamine.
Lazark asks his mother for information and promises to look for him.
As she hangs up, she gets another call. There's a woman in the fountain at the Loaves and Fishes homeless service center.
"East side of the pool. She usually hangs out in front of the mission. Is she belligerent? Okay. Okay. I'll be there in a bit," Lazark says into the phone.
When Lazark arrives, she meets Guerin Bratcher who works at Loaves and Fishes. He takes her to a woman sitting on a bench. Her clothes are soaked.
"Tried to talk with her. She's speaking in a language we can't quite understand," Bratcher tells Lazark the situation. The woman is speaking gibberish.
"Lucy, you okay today?," Lazark gently asks the woman. "People were telling me you that you were eating dirt."
"No. I'm not eating dirt," Lucy says.
Lazark says the behavior is odd, but Lucy shows no signs of being dangerous or gravely disabled. After 12 minutes of coaxing, Lucy accepts a ride home.
Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy.
Before Lucy and Lazark drive away, the officer gets a text from James. He was the subject of the first call of her day. He tells her he's okay.
Lazark is relieved. Every day is stressful. She tries to keep a sense of humor.
"I changed my Siri to a British gentleman because I'm such a James Bond fan," she says as her phone rings again with a James Bond theme ring-tone.
Another call comes over the radio. There's a girl running through traffic on Fruitridge Road. When Lazark arrives, the girl is talking to two Sac PD officers in a parking lot.
The girl's mother introduces herself as Krystal. She says her daughter grabbed the steering wheel of the car while it was moving and then jumped out.
"She laid down in the middle of the street and I'm trying to pull her up," says Krystal. "The lady's helping me, trying to help me pull her up. She fought me and she beat me in the street"
Krystal says her daughter had just learned she would have to change schools again.
"She doesn't have a choice. The school board people said they can't have her there, she's threatening the staff members."
The girl is desperate to downplay the incident.
"It was just one little wheel moving. It was like her thing was like stopped. I just got out of the car. I thought it was parked," says the girl.
Krystal says her daughter has a mood disorder and has been hospitalized before.
Lazark contacts the Sacramento County Psychiatric Treatment Center and asks for a 72-hour hold.
Lazark contacts the Sacramento County Psychiatric Treatment Center and asks for a 72-hour hold.
"Why are you sending me there?" the girl wails. "I'm not doing anything. Can I please just speak to my therapist? My doctor says before you send me 5150 I get to speak to somebody. No, please! They're gonna send me there. They're gonna keep me there for days!"
It's noon.
"By Friday, I'm pretty mentally drained. You can ask my husband," says Lazark.
What keeps her going?
"Helping people, seeing someone get the help that they need and getting pointed in the right direction," says Lazark. "There's a need for it. I see overwhelming need for something like this."
In 2014 Sac PD dispatched officers 5,600 times to perform mental-health evaluations. The number does not include all of the cell phone and text conversations between Impact team members and people who request help.
With a heavy sigh, Lazark turns her attention back to the radio and yet another incoming call for help.
Michelle Lazark is one of the two officers in the county whose partner is a mental health clinician. A Sacramento County Sheriff's deputy is the other.
Sometimes people don't realize how hard police officers actually work. Lazark said,"By Friday,I'm pretty mentally drained. You can ask my husband" (NPR). They are constantly working and always wanting to help others. Lazarks favorite part of her job is to help others. As much as its a hard job, most police officers enjoy doing it.
ReplyDeleteMegan Welter Per. 3
It’s incredible to hear all the amazing stories and jobs of police officers. I never knew that those people partake so many helpful actions everyday. “Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy” (NPR). It’s so nice that they are constantly working to help others, and from the readings of it, it sounds like they often put others before themselves. But it is also important that police officers love what they do, and the true purpose behind it.
ReplyDeleteMarie Ong, Period 6
It is amazing how many people Lazark helps every day. It must hake her feel good knowing that she is helping people. She says "helping people, seeing someone get the help that they need and getting pointed in the right direction" makes her continue to do her job. It must be such a hard and tiring job but it makes people feel good when they are helping others. 5,600 mental health evaulations in one year is a lot. Per. 4
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty cool to know that these officers go out of there way to help the mentally disabled. Officer Lazark is a person who seems to truly care about her job and is passionate about it. In her job description she doesn't have to go out her way to do such things. As the article states,"Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy." We need more people like Lazark in the world.
ReplyDeleteI think that the work the people do to go out and help the mentally disabled is incredible. It's cool to hear about how some people just go out of their way to help someone else who is in need. It's also l inspiring to hear that Lazark is "part of a team that is trained to respond to the non-stop need for mental health services in the county"(NPR). Lazark is so inspiring because no matter what day it is she always goes out and helps anyone in need of assistance.
ReplyDeleteCourtney Hulsing
P.2
I believe that police officers have one of the most difficult jobs in the world, they are having to protect their lives each and every day and on top of that, they are also protecting our lives.,"Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy." (NPR) Its pretty cool knowing that there is somebody out there that is willing to help anybody in need. " As she climbs into her patrol car, she gets another call. A woman is looking for her son. He's quadriplegic with a mental illness and a history of using methamphetamine. Lazark asks his mother for information and promises to look for him.As she hangs up, she gets another call. There's a woman in the fountain at the Loaves and Fishes homeless service center."(NPR) Although Lazark gets many emergency calls, she deals with each one of them and they sound pretty stressful.
ReplyDelete~Kyle Haroldsen
P.4
It is sad to know that there are so many mentally disabled people, but it is great to see that this officer's job is to specifically help these people. It seems that there needs to be more of these kinds of jobs that focus on helping mentally disabled people. If there was a whole section of the police force used to help these people, it would benefit everyone, and especially give extra help to the mentally disable who need it: "In 2014 Sac PD dispatched officers 5,600 times to perform mental-health evaluations. The number does not include all of the cell phone and text conversations between Impact team members and people who request help"(NPR). Hopefully someday, there will be enough police officers to help with the large number of problems with the mentally disabled.
ReplyDeleteRenee Gibson, period 2
Many people usually look down on police officers. Usually, because they think that the police officers are doing everything unfair. The truth is, they are risking their life everyday to save others in the community, while others just go on with their life. Officer Lazark shows that she really cares about others. Lazark calls to others that she is worried about. "I understand you've received some really bad news and I'd like to talk to you. Give me a call. I'd like to help you"
ReplyDeleteAlayna Texley
Per. 2
I knew being a police was hard but I didn't realize how stressful and time consuming the job can be. Paragraph 1 states, "She's part of a team that is trained to respond to the non-stop need for mental health services in the county"(NPR). I think it is really nice how theirs mental health services respondents such as Michelle Lazark, who go out non-stop helping mentally ill people.
ReplyDeleteZayne Beckman Per. 5
I think that the work the people do to go out and help the mentally disabled is incredible. It's cool to hear about how some people just go out of their way to help someone else who is in need. Officer Lazark shows that she really cares about others. Lazark calls to others that she is worried about. "I understand you've received some really bad news and I'd like to talk to you. Give me a call. I'd like to help you"
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that most people do not know how hard police officers work. I am glad that this officers job is to help mental disabled people. “Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy” (NPR). It is good that they are putting others before them but it is really important for the police officers to love what they do but to also realize the purpose behind it.
ReplyDeleteKaci Pebley
Period 2
It is crazy to think how much help is actually offered by police officers. Many people are unaware of the stress that these jobs give. Lazark for example, helps the mentally disabled and she truly cares about her job. She says, "...helping people, seeing someone get the help that they need and getting pointed in the right direction"(Lazark). It is good to know that there are people out there offering help to those who need it.
ReplyDeleteI'm very grateful for people like officer Lazark. My mother has manic depression and bipolar disorder and sometimes she gets sent away via 5150. Most of the times that this happens, she's sent away by a local police officer and is treated like she's not human. "There's a need for [helping these people]. I see overwhelming need for something like this"(Lazark) It breaks my heart to know that there are police officers who don't show as much compassion as one would expect, but people like Officer Lazark make up for the difference.
ReplyDeleteJoJo Wu 6th Period
Police officers are very important in society today. Without them we would suffer a lot. They deserve days off just as all other jobs. Lazark said,"By Friday,I'm pretty mentally drained. You can ask my husband" (NPR).
ReplyDeletePolice officers are very important in society today. Without them we would suffer a lot. They deserve days off just as all other jobs. Lazark said,"By Friday,I'm pretty mentally drained. You can ask my husband" (NPR).
ReplyDeletePolice officers already have a hard time protecting themselves from danger every day, but they still protect our lives too. Being a police officer seems to be a job where they get a lot of criticism but not a lot of gratitude. I think people don't fully understand how hard it is to be a police officer. "Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy." (NPR). this quote shows how much police officers really do. I think people need to realize how important and hard this job really is.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article, I just want to say I give props to Michelle Lazark, just reading her story about her being a police officer is really inspiring, especially when she answer the question of why she continues to do her job. Lazark said, "Helping people, seeing someone get the help that they need and getting pointed in the right direction,".
ReplyDeleteI think that it is awesome how these peoples careers are saving peoples lives. Doing this everyday has got to feel great."Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy." I think that this is awesome. Officer Lazark takes time out of there life just to take these people home.
ReplyDeleteI think the world needs more people like Officer Lazark. What she is doing for the people in the community is something that not everyone can do. The people that she helps every day could be in a lot worse of a situation if she doesn't go to help them when she does. She is an inspiring person and should make people want to help others more.
ReplyDeleteAlena Romero Period 5
I have so much respect for police officers. They have such an important and dangerous job and they never get the credit they deserve. For an officer to help people with mental disabilities is just incredible. I think it's amazing how cops "peacefully resolve mental health emergencies"(Bob Moffitt).
ReplyDeletePolice officers deserve more respect than they get. It is an extremely dangerous job where they put their life on the line to protect others. Especially in there case, where it states, "Lazark often gives mentally ill students rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy" (NPR). I believe some police officers push their limits, but this is something special. Without them, the world would be in chaos.
ReplyDeleteCam Allie
Period 1
it is so cool that we have these officers that will take any calls and help anyone that is mentally ill or just in need of help.Officer Lazark is a very outgoing person that seems to lover her job and we are very thankful for her. The article says "Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy". Now let me remind you this is not part of her job she does it just to be a nice and caring person.We need more people like Lazark in the world.To just be a nice and caring person when no one is watching. Period.4
ReplyDeleteIt is an amazing step in our society that these officers go out of there way to help the mentally disabled. Officer Lazark is a person who seems to truly care about her job and is passionate about it. In her job description she doesn't have to go out her way to do such things. As the article states,"Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy." We need more people like Lazark in the world.
ReplyDeleteAmar Dhillon Period 2
It is an amazing thing to see how hard police officers work. Most people do not understand how much they do for the people around them in their community. Lazark says that her favorite part about her job is being a helping hand and that is a great thing. Officers deserve more respect than what they get. Their job is not only important but it dangerous.
ReplyDeleteKyle Brown p5
Police help the community in ways that some people just don't see. It is really amazing to see how hard they work to keep us safe and living in harmony, like Lazark who states that her favorite part about her job is being a helping hand to the community. There is really no reason why one would not respect an honorable job like being on the police force. The job is not only hard on the person performing, physically and mentally, but is also extremely dangerous. They risk their lives every day to keep us safe, and they deserve respect. Christian Wootton.
ReplyDeletePolice officers do amazing work for the community. They help the community so much and many don’t see it. It is amazing to hear what they are doing for people who are mentally disabled. “Lazark often gives mentally ill residents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy (NPR).” It is really cool to hear that they would do that for them. Without people like this, this world would be even worse off.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Willis per. 5
I think it's great to see people like officer Lazark in the world. It states, " she often gives the mentally disabled rides home or to the doctor or pharmisists." I think it is great what she is doing and how it show she appreciates her job. I think we can learn a lesson from this and more people should act like officer Lazark. The world could shape into a better place with more acts like this
ReplyDeletePolice officers have very stressful jobs and life's. Officer Lazark, takes her job very seriously and still enjoys it. She also helps around the community Lazark often gives mentally ill resdents rides home, to a doctor, or to a pharmacy." there should be more people like officer Lazark
ReplyDeleteSome people see police offers as someone who is bad just because they "get people in trouble," but that could not be more inaccurate. Police officers help keep us and our community safe in so ways. Lazark says that her favorite part about her job is being a helping hand and that is a great thing. I feel officers need to be given more respect from everyone and given the credit they deserve.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article about officer Lazark, a local mental health police officer working for the Sacramento Police Department, I felt better about the world as a whole. I felt this way because this shows that there are still good people in this world. Officer Lazark goes above and beyond the call of duty purely because she loves (in her words) "Helping people, seeing someone get the help that they need and getting pointed in the right direction." She says that this is what keeps her going and I love every part of that. It's a necessity for the world to have more people like Michelle Lazarck, and if it did, it would be a much better place.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article it's so amazing to see how many people Lazark helps every day. It's so cool to hear that Lazark likes to help kids and adults with mental illness. Being a police officer is not easy when it comes to dealing with people with mental illness but Lazark does an excellent job of serving and helping others. I think she is a hero for all her hard work.
ReplyDelete