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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Josh Marcus

Washington police discriminate by sending police to mental health calls, lawsuit claims

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Washington DC is violating a landmark federal disability rights law by sending armed police officers to respond to mental health crises, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court by the ACLU of Washington on Thursday.

The lawsuit accuses the city of going against the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to send qualified mental health professionals to such cases, and by underfunding a programme to divert certain 911 calls to mental health experts and peer support specialists.

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