- Friday October 28th, 2011 :: 09:37 a.m. PDT
Mental Health Court Dept. 95: Sheriff's Personnel Recipients of Extra M.I.L.E.S. Award
(Photo- Click on hyperlink at the bottom of this message)
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department 95 Mental Health Court personnel were presented with the 2011 Extra M.I.L.E.S. Recognition award, at the 20th Annual M.I.L.E.S. Conference, on October 27, 2011, at the LA/San Gabriel Hilton.
Accepting on behalf of the team was Chief Richard Barrantes, Sheriff's Court Services Division.
Mental Illness and Law Enforcement Systems or M.I.L.E.S. awards are presented to individuals and programs that go the ‘extra mile’ in providing services to people living with mental illness.
Oftentimes when mentally ill offenders must appear in court, they may come experiencing psychotic episodes, confused or agitated by the court room experience. It is the duty of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s personnel assigned to Department 95 (Court Services East Bureau) to help these individuals during this process.
Department 95’s Sheriff’s personnel approach their duties with uncommon compassion, sensitivity and restraint. Mental Health Court offers non-violent mentally offenders court-ordered treatment as opposed to incarceration.
The challenges the deputies face range from establishing communication with lethargic and unresponsive individuals to negotiating with violent people who engage in insulting and physical behavior.
During an average month, the court’s personnel encounter more than 200 incarcerated subjects. The low number of incidents is attributed to their ability to display empathy while carrying out their duties.
Court proceedings can be daunting for anyone. For those with mental health problems it is more so. Department 95’s Sheriff’s Personnel have made this process flow easier for these individuals paving the way for a greater outcome thus reducing the likelihood of their return. It is for these reasons that M.I.L.E.S. is pleased to recognize their work.
The M.I.L.E.S. (Mental Illness and Law Enforcement Systems) coalition has worked together since 1991. The annual M.I.L.E.S. Conference addresses a variety of topics to expand mental health and law enforcement professionals’ understanding of the complexities of working with people with mental illness. The M.I.L.E.S. Resource Center, a conference component, provides agencies an opportunity to share information about their services. Recognition awards, presented at the conference, are given to individuals and programs that go the extra mile to improve the quality of service to this vulnerable population.
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Lindy Russell
Public Affairs Coordinator
626.254.5023
626.254.5051 fax
[email protected]
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For more information on Mental Health from the Superior Court of Los Angeles County:
http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/mentalhealth/
http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/locations/pdf/MHProg.pdf
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Sheriff’s Court Services Division information, including case inquiry, vehicle inspection, civil process and more can be obtained at:
www.lasd.org or
http://civil.lasd.org/
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Inmate and Jail Information, Los Angeles County jail system
(213) 473-6080 or
http://app4.lasd.org/iic/ajis_search.cfm
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Mental Illness Arrest, What Do I Do?
My Family Member Has Been Arrested:
A step-by-step guide to help families cope with the criminal justice system in Los Angeles County when a family member who suffers from a brain disorder (mental illness) is arrested.
http://www.lasdhq.org/lasd_services/correctional/mental_illness.html
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The Court Services Division of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has the responsibility for providing security for the 42 courthouses of the Los Angeles Superior Court system, which is the nation’s largest. It is the mission of Sheriff’s Court Services Division personnel to provide a safe environment, as well as effective and efficient levels of security to Judges, Superior Court employees, court patrons, court prisoners, and Sheriff’s Department employees assigned to work at the courthouses within Los Angeles County. Sheriff’s Deputies, armed Sheriff’s Security Officers, Sheriff’s Security Assistants and personnel from a privately contracted security company monitor all court patrons upon entrance to the courthouses. Sheriff’s supervision helps ensure that correct monitoring procedures are adhered to, in addition to handling those situations which are beyond the scope of the Security Officers and Security Assistants.
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(Photo- Click on link below to see the photo. Sheriff's Court Services (East Bureau) Department 95 personnel depicted in the photo, left to right: Sheriff's Deputies Jose Guarderas, Patrick Perdisatt, and Colleen Thompson, Supervising Deputy Daniel Cloutier, and Deputies Gerardo Avalos and Thomas Caire. [Not in photo: Deputies Ruben Corral and Jerry IIda, Sheriff's Security Officer Gary Traylor and Sheriff's Security Assistant Anthony Hopkins.]
Address/Location
LASD - Los Angeles County Sheriffs Dept Information Bureau (SIB)
211 W Temple St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 213-229-1700