Santa Cruz Police proactive to prevent a mass shooter

In recent mass shooting in the United States we have learned authorities were previously warned about the shooter, or social media showed possibilities for extreme violence.

Tuesday, the Santa Cruz Police Department started a proactive approach.

“What we don’t want to do is guess anymore. We want to have some science behind it so we can say ‘this person really concerns me,'” said Santa Cruz Police Chief Andrew Mills.

Chief Mills and Officer Brad Burruel spent the last six months researching, and speaking with federal authorities about how to look at a potential threat.

“The more frequently these things are happening, like in Jacksonville, the more we feel motivated to
act and develop this and perfect this project,” Burrel said.

Chief Mills says they are looking for people with multiple stressors. Have they acquired weapons? What have they done with these weapons?

“Are they extending the threat passed the individual towards the larger community? Those are some of
the warning signs we can look at and say our level of concern goes way up,” Mills says.

This isn’t about arrests, unless a crime has actually been committed. Mills tells KION they will be working to get the person help.”Making sure there are resources available to that person. Counseling. Benefits. For instance, you’re if you’re a veteran we would say let’s work with the veterans administration to get them to a point where they can get that kind of help. or mental health practitioners. We have two on duty we can take with us.”

They are also using a California law allowing “gun violence restraining orders,” where law enforcement and close family can request the subject lose access to weapons and ammunition. A 2018 bill would expand that ability to certain employers and school employees. It now sits on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk.

“I think this guy’s really problematic or going to be a shooter. (The community has) got to let us know. If they see something, they’ve got to say something.”