Communication changes after Hartnell College threat

Last week, a potential shooting at Hartnell College was prevented by Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies. 56-year-old Hartnell College Student Cary Palmer was detained after investigators found an arsenal of weapons during a welfare check at his home. Deputies say he left a message with a family member, threatening to a shooting at the college.

That threat is still raw for some, as this week’s mass shooting in Oregon continues to unfold. On Monday, Hartnell College told News Channel 5 the campus wasn’t initially informed of the threat, only learning about it after we reported it. That has sparked some changes at the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Steve Bernal says the threat of a shooting is sparking change in the way information is relayed.

“After we contacted the individual, there was no longer a threat,” Sheriff Bernal said. “We did contact them, it was a couple of days later but that’s something we changed. From now on, whenever there is a threat, whether a threat exists or not, we will be contacting people to let them know about the threat.”

Of course this case, and what happened in Oregon are prompting talks about more gun control. Bernal says communities get to the root of the problem, which is addressing mental health. He says his office is working very closely with Monterey County Behavioral Health, and many local law enforcement officers are trained in handling mental health cases.

Behavioral Health is currently developing a mobile crisis team, which would put someone trained in crisis intervention in each region of the county, working with the Sheriff’s Office.