On a recent ride along with Sgt. Liz Lawrence of the Bend Police Department, the integrity, honesty and caring nature of the officer comes across clear as day. Lawrence, who has been a part of Bend's police force for 25 years, makes herself available 24/7 to help people, leading BPD’s mental health unit, called the […]
Community Response Team
Posted inOpinion
Editorial 2/3-2/10
Mental Health Crisis in Oregon
In 2016 Oregon ranked worst in the nation on a report released by the non-profit Mental Health America. This problem has deep roots, and not just in Oregon. In its 2015 report, the National Alliance on Mental Illness found that private insurers undercut federal mental health parity laws by denying coverage, limiting treatment, and imposing […]
Posted inNews
An Ounce of Prevention
Bend Police Department forms Community Response Team
As Bend continues to grow, the quaint “town” increasingly faces challenges more commonly associated with big city life. One of which is determining how best to support people experiencing mental health crises, and how to prevent crime. To that end, in October, City Council approved the hiring of three additional full-time staff for the Bend […]