Miami-Dade committee on law enforcement agrees there is a need for more mental health services

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – On Monday night, Miami-Dade police officers fired at a driver who they said was trying to run them over. The shooting happened just days after two Doral police officers were injured across from the Miami-Dade Police Department headquarters.

This was just as the law enforcement community was grieving the deaths of two Hollywood Police Department officers. One was shot while on duty and the other died by suicide. A Miami-Dade County committee agreed Wednesday officers need more support.

The board of commissioners has an office of community advocacy. That office has had a community relations board since 1963 and Shirley Plantin is its director. The board, also known as the CRB, has a criminal justice and law enforcement committee.

“There has been an uptick of violence against police officers,” Plantin said during the committee’s meeting Wednesday.

North Miami Beach Chief Richard Rand hosted the meeting at his department’s headquarters. He is concerned about the need for more mental health services.

“One thing I have instilled in my officers and my staff is that it’s OK not to be OK. It’s the people that don’t say anything that concerns me and should concern all of us,” Rand said.

Untreated mental health issues are also often to blame for attacks against police officers. The experts agreed this is also affecting officers’ morale.

“We need to do a better job as a community as a whole dealing with our mental health system not only for our law enforcement officers but for people in the community,” Rand said.

Related social media: Watch the meeting

5:30 p.m. report


About the Author:

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.