Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Hi,

I'm from Fort Worth, Texas and mostly just here to ask a question. Not sure if I should go on with the question or start a new thread.

I live in a small apt complex and a mentally ill person moved here and causing some real problems.

She's a paranoid schizophrenic and has done some threatening things to several here and I have called police on her twice. The last time was because she was looking in my living room window after midnight...after being told by police to stay away from me. She's taken packages to her apt and stalked me. She's been putting nails in another resident's tires, the groundskeeper says she puts metal and broken glass in places to hurt others, and more.

The police know she is mentally ill. What can we do to protect ourselves, hopefully get her moved out of here?

Thank you so much for good advice.

Welcome to RP from the Florida Panhandle.

As for your problem, it sounds like it's going to be civil in nature, although it does sound as if there are some criminal elements. The criminal part would be putting nails in tires and placing things to hurt people intentionally. But you're going to have to be able to prove she did those things before law enforcement will be able to restrict her freedom through arrest. Her mental illness is going to cause problems in other ways also, because courts are usually against convicting people if they don't believe the person has the capacity to know right from wrong. Also, getting her civilly evicted will work against you 'cause someone (maybe that person) will argue you're doing it with discrimination in mind because of her mental illness.

You're going to have to speak with the property manager, and possibly a lawyer, because law enforcement isn't going to be able to help you move her out of there. They can file reports that she is suspected of doing those things, but again, if you can't prove it, it's just information that can't be stuck to her.

This stuff is an issue for LEO's as well. They are closing down mental institutions at an alarming rate and we are seeing these people much more frequently walking around in public. They give them meds and wish them well and as long as they are capable of taking care of themselves there isn't much more intervention from the mental health standpoint.

The problem is the people don't take their meds and when they don't the police are usually called, either by them, or a neighbor. Best case scenario they have family you can call but some of these people are on their own and their isn't much we can do about it.

Welcome!