Najee Seabrooks: A Call to Action for Policing Mental Health Crises

Najee Seabrooks, of Paterson, NJ was a member of violence intervention group Paterson Healing Collective.

The police killing of Najee Seabrooks during a mental health crisis continues a tragic trend that New Jersey, and wider society, won’t be able to ignore much longer. In recent years, the United States has faced a reckoning with its deeply ingrained racial and social justice issues, particularly in the realm of policing and the Black community. Seabrooks, a 31-year-old member of the violence intervention group Paterson Healing Collective, was killed by officers responding to his own 911 call for help. His death underscores the urgent need for a systemic shift in how police respond to mental health emergencies and the role race and implicit bias play in these situations.

Despite his family’s pleas for non-lethal force, the officers fatally shot Seabrooks after he allegedly lunged at them. The tragic incident mirrors the case of Gulia Dale III, a 61-year-old retired Army major, who was fatally shot on July 4th, 2021 by police officers in Newton, New Jersey, after his wife called 911 concerned for his safety. Dale, whose post-traumatic stress disorder was triggered by the fireworks, was shot less than 15 seconds into the encounter. In February, a grand jury voted not to file criminal charges in his death.

Gulia Dale III, was a retired US Army major who served three tours in Iraq.

A vigil is held in Newton, NJ for Gulia III. His widow Karen Dale (right) is comforted by his sister and daughter.

These two cases underscore the broader issue of police violence against Black individuals, particularly those dealing with mental health crises. As mental health awareness and advocacy gain traction in the United States, the need for alternative approaches to handling mental health-related emergencies has become increasingly evident.

A growing number of cities, including New York, Albuquerque, and Eugene, Oregon, have started deploying social workers and medics in response to 911 calls related to mental health emergencies. This shift seeks to reduce the chances of lethal encounters with the police and improve outcomes for those experiencing mental health crises.

Critics argue that police officers are often ill-equipped to handle mental health emergencies, lacking the necessary training in de-escalation techniques and mental health expertise. A 2015 report by the Treatment Advocacy Center found that individuals with untreated mental illnesses are 16 times more likely to be killed by law enforcement than other civilians.

Gulia Dale III’s niece at his vigil in Newton, NJ.

Organizations and experts have proposed solutions to prevent further tragedies like those of Seabrooks and Dale, including the Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS) program in Eugene, Oregon, which dispatches teams of mental health professionals and medical personnel to address mental health crises without armed police officers. Others, such as the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Mental Health America (MHA), the Treatment Advocacy Center, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Color of Change, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the Vera Institute of Justice, advocate for various approaches to transform the public safety system and prioritize mental health care and community-based support over armed police intervention.

By implementing these solutions, communities can work towards reducing the risk of violence and tragic outcomes for those experiencing mental health crises, striving for a future where such incidents are a thing of the past.

Activist, Kasan Little, addresses a large crowd at Paterson City Hall after the killing of Najee Seabrooks.

The tragic loss of Najee Seabrooks serves as a call to action for communities and law enforcement agencies to come together to reevaluate and reform the current systems in place. With the continued public outcry over police killings of individuals experiencing mental health crises, it is crucial that society acts swiftly to address these issues and implement comprehensive solutions.

It is essential that policy makers and community leaders work collaboratively to allocate resources towards mental health care and support systems that are accessible to all individuals. This includes investing in community-based mental health programs, crisis intervention teams, and other social services to reduce the reliance on armed police officers in crisis situations.

Furthermore, addressing racial bias in policing is vital to ensure that all Americans, regardless of race or mental health status, can live safely and equitably. Police departments should invest in ongoing anti-bias and cultural competency training to reduce the impact of implicit racial bias on officers’ decision-making.

The heartrending deaths of Najee Seabrooks and Gulia Dale III demonstrate the urgent need for change in how our society approaches mental health crises and the role of law enforcement. By taking concrete steps to address these issues and implement solutions, we can work towards a future where tragedies like these are prevented, and the lives of all individuals, regardless of race or mental health status, are protected and valued.