Lethal force questioned after release of DA’s report

CHICO » The determination about Chico Police Department officers’ actions leading to Stephen Vest’s death in October drew some local concern Thursday.

Following District Attorney Mike Ramsey’s announcement, members of the activist group, Concerned Citizens for Justice Chico, said they are concerned there is a need for more community discussion about the incident and about policing involving lethal use of force. Ramsey said Vest was experiencing psychosis caused by methamphetamine.

Coordinator Jill Bailey said “I think it’s a sad state of affairs for our community. … To have a vulnerable member of our community, when we have other means to resolve a crisis, (and) to then shoot him and kill him.”

Coordinator Emily Alma said she thinks the incident demonstrated a need for more involvement by behavioral health professionals for a crisis response, if deescalation could have prevented Vest’s death

She said she knows “(Chico Police Chief Matt) Madden said very clearly that he believes in deescalation and their officers are trained in that already,” but thinks that the police department needs to use the incident to assess what wrong and how deaths could be prevented in the future.

“They should look at mistakes that were made and do better in future situations,” Alma said. She said she understands the officers dealt with a tense situation that was “difficult” but that a change in policing culture around responding to mental health crises needs to occur.

“It’s crucial we have a change in future and that they really look at their role … to say, lethal force is absolutely the last resort.”

The group had brought these concerns about lethal use of force to former Mayor Ann Schwab’s policing advisory committee (which met July through November 2020), and other members of that committee also commented on the verdict of Vest’s death.

“My hope moving forward … is the same, that we treat these issues with the kind of sensitivity and attention our community is demanding to us, and that we do better every single time,” committee member Councilor Alex Brown said. “I’m hopeful we can use this as an opportunity to be thoughtful and responsive to the community tragedy, and continue to improve our approach.”

Committee member Cory Hunt said the verdict reminded him of personal frustrations with the policing advisory committee, as the timing of Vest’s death coincided with the committee’s review of lethal use of force by the police, but was never discussed in that committee.

“When Stephen was shot we were in the middle of a (committee) that was structured in a manner that allowed police to present their numbers, ideas and perspective but the mayor at the time did not invited anyone not affiliated with the police to present alternatives, numbers, ideas and perspectives for push back,” he said.

“In Chico alone there have been multiple police shootings now where the suspect didn’t have a gun. With so much of the city’s budget they should be able to afford gear to apprehend a knife-wielding citizen without causing death.”

He also thinks the shooting demonstrates a need for more options for crisis response — “I would like to see police try to find more steps between non-lethal and lethal apprehension. It seems like it’s just one step, taser to gun.”

And like the Concerned Citizens for Justice, Hunt wants more involvement with Butte County Behavioral Health and review for how the death of a person allegedly suffering mental health struggles could have been prevented.