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The ACLU of Northern California joins communities in Santa Cruz in demanding justice for Sean Arlt and his family. The fatal shooting of Sean Arlt by Santa Cruz Police Department officers is highly disturbing, particularly given that he was in mental health crisis at the time. The most common and most important accommodation a person in crisis needs – from police, or preferably from dedicated mental health professionals – is time and patience. We must go beyond training and begin to create consequences for police who use deadly force against people in crisis. We urge the Santa Cruz District Attorney to conduct a swift investigation, to review training materials and police department policies, and to bring all appropriate charges, if warranted, against the officers involved. The public has a right to know the full story behind this tragedy.
