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> The department says that if you or someone you know is faced with a mental health issue contact suicide-prevention and crisis counselor by dialing 988.

Don't call cops in a metal health crisis event, that's how people get shot. Glad Baltimore County PD have come to the same realization the rest of us had a long time ago.

We are giving the cops credit for this now?! Please. Pigs trying to act like they are involved in something set up by National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. They have nothing to do with that number or anyone who will help you with a mental health crisis. They are essentially tacitly admitting they will shoot you if you are having a mental health crisis. You can be glad this resource exists, but please do not equate this with something the cops have done to help you. The police are here to protect the status quo for the oligarchs and corporate elite. They do not care about your safety. They do not care about your rights. They do not care about your mental health. They are the henchmen of the ruling class and they will shoot you and your dog if you look at them the wrong way. ACAB.

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This is not a police thing. This is the National Suicide Hotline shortened access number, the FCC put this out after Congress passed the 988 bill, or the National Suicide Hotline bill. A volunteer from my area helped gather signatures to get the bill passed.

I hope people don’t get confused that this has something to do with police. It’s nice the police promoted it, perhaps it would be better if the news stations promote the number without police involvement. Many people worry the police aren’t the best people to respond if someone is experiencing thoughts of self harm, police can make the matter worse instead of better.

If you need help call the number, please don’t think this is a police number, it isn’t. This is the National Suicide Hotline, no police will come if you call.

This is not a police number. I don’t know why the Baltimore County police make it seem this way, this is the shortened access number for the National Suicide Hotline. This number has nothing to do with police.

And the police took no credit for it. They know they are not train for mental health issues.

I didn’t mention anything about credit, I clarified this is not related to police at all. I don’t know why the department needed to label the announcement as from them instead of asking the news stations to share the hotline number as a public service during the holiday season. The way the promotion is worded mentions police, Baltimore County police and the department enough to discourage some people from using the service. The description is confusing enough that it could be read as counselors from the police department. The entire purpose of the federal bill was to make the National hotline more accessible, not scare people away by associating it with police.

Even the title of the article “Baltimore County Police gives life saving info” is misleading. It is from the local Fox station, not unbiased.

I am very glad the police are doing this

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That makes no sense, I volunteer with people in mental health crisis, one of my neighbors advocated for the federal law. This specifically has nothing to do with Baltimore County police, tying it to the police department or making it seem as if it is police sponsored is counterproductive. I wrote nothing about taking credit, please read my comments again.

This dude is a fucking cop. Ignore.

The cops have done nothing but imply that if you call them instead of this number, which they did not set up and have nothing to do with, they will murder your loved one having a mental health crisis. This number was set up by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline because they do what cops pretend to do.

Huh?

There seems to be a big misconception that cops have something to do with 988. They do not. The cops will shoot you if you are having a mental health emergency. It is important that we are not giving them any credit for this, despite the fact that the implication seems to be that they are somehow involved, whether by them or outside parties.

It’s just like the two wonderful women who tracked down and found that missing baby and then the cops posing for pics with the baby and implying they were somehow involved. It’s called copaganda. Police departments hire entire PR teams to do shit like this.

I mean they're clearly involved here because they shared it. Also I don't think you'll find any cops who pretend that mental health is what they're trained for.

Thank you for that information. It seems anytime someone trolls me on Reddit they are either a police officer or local aspiring politician. I should have guessed it.

> The cops will shoot you if you are having a mental health emergency.

Give me a break. Most of the people who get shot during "mental health emergencies" are also waving around a knife or a gun.