Salinas Police Department Monterey County Behavioral Health

1. Salinas Police DepartmentMonterey County Behavioral Health Hostage Negotiations Team

2. Team • 3 Sergeants • 13 Negotiators • 3 Tactical Dispatchers • 9 Behavioral Health Professionals • Offer clinical insight on mental illness • Offer supportive suggestions on intervening with the person in crisis • Pertinent mental health background information • Information for community resources/referrals • Assist with interviews • Train once a month together • BH trains and responds to callouts with SPD • BH has MOU with 12 county agencies

3. SPD

4. Behavioral Health

5. The Incident • Occurred on November 7, 2011 • Mark Schmidt at a friends residence • Report of Schmidt being suicidal/possibly armed with firearms • Previous statements to friends about wanting to commit suicide • Officer Rosales talks to Schmidt on the phone and Schmidt exits after approximately 10 minutes. Officer Rosales also spoke to RP who had responded to VA facility in Marina • No weapons located. We later learned family had seized Schmidt’s firearms due to suicidal concerns • 5150 committal • Treatment at Natividad Medical Center • Officer Rosales remained with Schmidt at NMC for over two hours • Arrangements made to transport to VA facility in Palo Alto that night by Behavioral Health staff

6. About Mark Schmidt • 28 years old • No criminal history • Left college to join Marines in late 2001 • Decision based on 9-11 attacks • Enlisted for four years • One tour during “Enduring Freedom” In Afghanistan • Assigned to Quick Reaction Force (QRF) • Worked as a helicopter pilot in Georgia and a volunteer firefighter in Kansas after his discharge • Diagnosed with PTSD • Moved back to Salinas area

7. PhoneMessage • Sent by Schmidt on November 17, 2012 to Officer Rosales after release from VA facility • It initiated the process to consider an interview with Schmidt • Phone message:

8. The Interview • Schmidt more than willing to talk to us • Interview took place three months after initial incident • Interview location • What you’re comfortable with • Video recording • Lasted 90 minutes • Edited to 45 minutes • Inspired a team trip to Palo Alto VA facility • Provided invaluable insight for future negotiations

9. Watch Video

10. Progression of PTSD • After discharge from VA, Mark was initially compliant with medications • After a few months, he did not want to travel back to VA for appointments • He became despondent and moved into his parent’s garage • Parents did not want to upset him by forcing him to get help • Mark quit taking medications

11. Progression of PTSD cont • Mark began to get paranoid • Isolated in his parent’s garage • Quit taking care of his hygiene • Was experiencing flashback and could not separate reality from memory • Grew increasingly depressed and paranoid • Was having nightmares • Mark committed suicide by hanging himself on March 16th, 2012 in his parent’s garage

12. Impact on Law Enforcement • Devon Corpus received phone call from Coroner regarding his death • Corpus notified Sgt. Solis • Questioned themselves • Wondered if family would blame them • Importance of Critical Incident Stress Management teams • Salinas Police Department attended funeral

13. Obituary Comment • March 22, 2012 • Mark was a very special young man as he progressed in his studies at Palma. Many might say he was a quiet, respectful young man and that was true. But he was much more than that as he was gifted with a grand sense of humor as well as sense of the moment that was well beyond his years. He was the cause for many to reflect and appreciate what we all hold as special and unique. Thanks for sharing Mark with the Palma community. Our prayers and thoughts are with you. • ~   • Br. Patrick Dunne, • Salinas, California

14. Questions/Comments