Bland Manlove, Nurrenbern urge holistic police reform

Reps call for release of body cam footage in death of man in mental health crisis

Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove (MHDC)

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Reps. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, and Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, have advocated for holistic police reform to pair law enforcement with mental health professionals to assist those undergoing mental health crises.

After the Feb. 7 police killing of 36-year-old Shawn Wilson in Kansas City, Bland Manlove and Nurrenbern have requested the release of any available body cam footage to further understand the circumstances of Wilson’s death.

They also pledged to prioritize funding for behavioral health resources and crisis response for law enforcement in the FY 2023 budget.

“Make no mistake: Shawn Wilson should still be alive today, and his death underscores exactly why our state needs to invest in holistic policing practices that combine law enforcement with mental health resources,” Bland Manlove said. “People having mental health crises deserve the protection of law enforcement as much as any other American. They and their loved ones should not fear that a 911 call indirectly becomes a death sentence.”

The two representatives both expressed optimism that these changes would be welcomed by the General Assembly. Bland Manlove pointed to recent positive changes in Missouri law to respecting mental health, including last year’s House Bill 604. That bill brought Missouri in line with a federal law that mandates insurance companies cannot make burdens and restrictions on mental health benefits greater than those placed on medical or surgical benefits.

Nurrenbern said that the FY 2022 budget added behavioral health specialists to work with law enforcement, but that the General Assembly could go further. She added that a greater appropriation for these resources would do nothing but benefit law enforcement to save valuable time for police officers on situations that require their skill set.

“Everyone deserves to be protected by law enforcement. But when we put police officers in difficult situations they are not properly trained or equipped to handle, all too often, we see tragic situations like Mr. Wilson’s death,” Nurrenbern said. “Prioritizing mental health resources to work with law enforcement will save lives.”