Mental Illness Is Not A Crime
Mental Illness Is Not A Crime
The Issue
On August 27, 2023 my brother Andrew Jerome Washington III was SHOT and KILLED by Jersey City police officers after our family called the Crisis Center in Jersey City Medical Center for HELP. “Drew” as we lovingly called him was in the depths of a mental crisis.
Drew was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1996 and schizophrenia in the early 2000’s. Mental illnesses DID NOT kill my brother. He fought his way back to health over and over again. My brother was in a mental crisis on August 27, 2023 and the response by the people our family called for help was to KILL HIM IN HIS OWN HOME.
Our family needs your help…please sign this petition and donate to join us in our fight for justice…all links below
WE WANT TRANSPARENCY
•The Attorney General’s Office has ONLY released the 33 minutes leading up to Andrew’s DEATH to the public. We want ALL OF THE BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE. Beginning the moment EMS and police arrived at Andrew’s home to the moment we were told Andrew DID NOT survive.
WE DESERVE ANSWERS
•During the 33 minutes the police were OUTSIDE Andrew’s apartment door WHY WASN’T A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SPECIALIST brought in to speak to ANDREW?
•During the 33 minutes the police were OUTSIDE Andrew’s door why was Andrew’s Family DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO HIM TO HELP CALM HIM DOWN?
•WHY did one officer choose a TASER and a different officer choose his GUN at the SAME TIME?
•AFTER BEING SHOT TWICE by the POLICE. Andrew was brought out of HIS HOME on a stretcher. WHY was his family told BY POLICE NOT TO SPEAK TO HIM OR CALL OUT HIS NAME?
•WHY WAS THE FAMILY DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE IN THE AMBULANCE WITH ANDREW?
•Why did Jersey City Medical Center LIE to at least 3 MEMBERS of Andrew’s family? Stating “ANDREW WASHINGTON WAS NOT IN OUR SYSTEM AND NOT AT THIS HOSPITAL.”
•WE NOW KNOW ANDREW WAS TAKEN TO THAT HOSPITAL AFTER BEING SHOT BY THE POLICE
•ANDREW DIED IN THE CARE OF Jersey City Medical Center Hospital.
•Why did it take nearly 3 HOURS (After Andrew was put into an ambulance) BEFORE OUR FAMILY WAS NOTIFIED OF ANDREW’S WHEREABOUTS AND THE AWFUL TRUTH OUR DREW DID NOT SURVIVE?
•When and How will Jersey City implement and improve proper responses to mental crisis calls?
•97% of MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE are KILLED WHEN the POLICE are the FIRST RESPONDERS to a mental crisis call.
•Across New Jersey, TWO OUT OF THREE USES OF FORCE by LAW ENFORCEMENT involve a civilian SUFFERING from MENTAL ILLNESS or substance abuse.
•OVER half of ALL FATAL POLICE ENCOUNTERS occur in circumstances involving the MENTALLY ILL or substance abuse.
•THE SYSTEM IS FLAWED. THE SAME ARMED OFFICER responding to a ROBBERY is also responding to an emergency call of a person in a BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS.
•”The Attorney General’s Office and the New Jersey State Police piloted an initiative—in line with Governor Murphy’s vision for public safety in the state—that pairs together a State Trooper, TRAINED in CRISIS INTERVENTIONS and DE-ESCALATION techniques, with a CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH SCREENER AND CRISIS SPECIALIST to respond to 9-1-1 calls involving behavioral health incidents”
•The involvement of an ARRIVE TEAM leads to FEWER arrests, FEWER USES OF FORCE, FEWER INJURIES AND ADDRESSES RACIAL DISPARITIES.
•With the ARRIVE TOGETHER PROGRAM 97% of cases DID NOT USE FORCE and 98% of cases did not result in an arrest.told
•Between 2022 and 2023 ALMOST EVERY OTHER MAJOR CITY IN NEW JERSEY has used the ARRIVE program except for JERSEY CITY.
•WE WANT THE ARRIVE TOGETHER PROGRAM funded and implemented by Jersey City’s Mayor Fulop, Jersey City’s City Council and The Jersey City Police Department.
•WE WANT the officer who shot and killed Drew held accountable. And the politicians in Jersey City who IMMEDIATELY called this miscarriage of justice JUSTIFIABLE held ACCOUNTABLE!
https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/mayorfulop
https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/citycouncil/citycouncilmeetings
•WE WANT Legislation in ANDREW’S NAME that provides protection for the mentally ill when experiencing a mental crisis including safe transportation to the hospital, adequate mental health care, appropriate time to stabilize and heal while in the hospital, providing medication and multiple psychiatric evaluations. Implementation of residential treatment programs available and outpatient treatment services paired with patients before release from the hospital.
•WE WANT Legislation in ANDREW’S NAME that allows investigations and accountability when a person suffering from a mental crisis is UNJUSTLY KILLED BY THE POLICE.
Learn more about Arrive Together Program and how it has SAVED the LIVES of men, women and children living with Mental Illnesses.
Donate to The Fight For Justice For Andrew Jerome Washington III
“Drew” #JusticeForDrew
6,780
The Issue
On August 27, 2023 my brother Andrew Jerome Washington III was SHOT and KILLED by Jersey City police officers after our family called the Crisis Center in Jersey City Medical Center for HELP. “Drew” as we lovingly called him was in the depths of a mental crisis.
Drew was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1996 and schizophrenia in the early 2000’s. Mental illnesses DID NOT kill my brother. He fought his way back to health over and over again. My brother was in a mental crisis on August 27, 2023 and the response by the people our family called for help was to KILL HIM IN HIS OWN HOME.
Our family needs your help…please sign this petition and donate to join us in our fight for justice…all links below
WE WANT TRANSPARENCY
•The Attorney General’s Office has ONLY released the 33 minutes leading up to Andrew’s DEATH to the public. We want ALL OF THE BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE. Beginning the moment EMS and police arrived at Andrew’s home to the moment we were told Andrew DID NOT survive.
WE DESERVE ANSWERS
•During the 33 minutes the police were OUTSIDE Andrew’s apartment door WHY WASN’T A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SPECIALIST brought in to speak to ANDREW?
•During the 33 minutes the police were OUTSIDE Andrew’s door why was Andrew’s Family DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO HIM TO HELP CALM HIM DOWN?
•WHY did one officer choose a TASER and a different officer choose his GUN at the SAME TIME?
•AFTER BEING SHOT TWICE by the POLICE. Andrew was brought out of HIS HOME on a stretcher. WHY was his family told BY POLICE NOT TO SPEAK TO HIM OR CALL OUT HIS NAME?
•WHY WAS THE FAMILY DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE IN THE AMBULANCE WITH ANDREW?
•Why did Jersey City Medical Center LIE to at least 3 MEMBERS of Andrew’s family? Stating “ANDREW WASHINGTON WAS NOT IN OUR SYSTEM AND NOT AT THIS HOSPITAL.”
•WE NOW KNOW ANDREW WAS TAKEN TO THAT HOSPITAL AFTER BEING SHOT BY THE POLICE
•ANDREW DIED IN THE CARE OF Jersey City Medical Center Hospital.
•Why did it take nearly 3 HOURS (After Andrew was put into an ambulance) BEFORE OUR FAMILY WAS NOTIFIED OF ANDREW’S WHEREABOUTS AND THE AWFUL TRUTH OUR DREW DID NOT SURVIVE?
•When and How will Jersey City implement and improve proper responses to mental crisis calls?
•97% of MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE are KILLED WHEN the POLICE are the FIRST RESPONDERS to a mental crisis call.
•Across New Jersey, TWO OUT OF THREE USES OF FORCE by LAW ENFORCEMENT involve a civilian SUFFERING from MENTAL ILLNESS or substance abuse.
•OVER half of ALL FATAL POLICE ENCOUNTERS occur in circumstances involving the MENTALLY ILL or substance abuse.
•THE SYSTEM IS FLAWED. THE SAME ARMED OFFICER responding to a ROBBERY is also responding to an emergency call of a person in a BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS.
•”The Attorney General’s Office and the New Jersey State Police piloted an initiative—in line with Governor Murphy’s vision for public safety in the state—that pairs together a State Trooper, TRAINED in CRISIS INTERVENTIONS and DE-ESCALATION techniques, with a CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH SCREENER AND CRISIS SPECIALIST to respond to 9-1-1 calls involving behavioral health incidents”
•The involvement of an ARRIVE TEAM leads to FEWER arrests, FEWER USES OF FORCE, FEWER INJURIES AND ADDRESSES RACIAL DISPARITIES.
•With the ARRIVE TOGETHER PROGRAM 97% of cases DID NOT USE FORCE and 98% of cases did not result in an arrest.told
•Between 2022 and 2023 ALMOST EVERY OTHER MAJOR CITY IN NEW JERSEY has used the ARRIVE program except for JERSEY CITY.
•WE WANT THE ARRIVE TOGETHER PROGRAM funded and implemented by Jersey City’s Mayor Fulop, Jersey City’s City Council and The Jersey City Police Department.
•WE WANT the officer who shot and killed Drew held accountable. And the politicians in Jersey City who IMMEDIATELY called this miscarriage of justice JUSTIFIABLE held ACCOUNTABLE!
https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/mayorfulop
https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/citycouncil/citycouncilmeetings
•WE WANT Legislation in ANDREW’S NAME that provides protection for the mentally ill when experiencing a mental crisis including safe transportation to the hospital, adequate mental health care, appropriate time to stabilize and heal while in the hospital, providing medication and multiple psychiatric evaluations. Implementation of residential treatment programs available and outpatient treatment services paired with patients before release from the hospital.
•WE WANT Legislation in ANDREW’S NAME that allows investigations and accountability when a person suffering from a mental crisis is UNJUSTLY KILLED BY THE POLICE.
Learn more about Arrive Together Program and how it has SAVED the LIVES of men, women and children living with Mental Illnesses.
Donate to The Fight For Justice For Andrew Jerome Washington III
“Drew” #JusticeForDrew
6,780
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on September 21, 2023