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Family and advocates tell Long Beach council police response failed son with mental illness; request meeting and better crisis response
Summary
Karina Guerrero and her daughter spoke at the council's Sept. 9 public comment to say police response to her son's crisis at a state-funded facility did not follow the city's mental-health response protocols and that her son, who has schizophrenia, lacked medication while detained. The speakers requested a meeting with the councilmember for their
Two members of the Guerrero family and advocates addressed the Long Beach City Council during general public comment on Sept. 9 to say police response to their son's mental-health crisis fell short of the city's protocols and placed him at risk.
Karina Guerrero, speaking with members of the Filipino Migrant Center present, said her adult son, described in the record as a resident of a state-funded facility in District 1, was arrested Aug. 21 after an alleged fire. Guerrero said she informed officers that her son has a serious mental-health condition and is part of a program at the facility; she said one officer told staff the arrangement "is obviously not working for him." Guerrero said facility staff offered to contact a nurse to administer medication, but she was not sure whether police allowed that. She said she was treated poorly, feared for her son's safety, and believed that without her presence her son could have been seriously injured.
Mia Kaizen Guerrero, the son's daughter and a college student, recounted difficulty locating her father in custody and being unable to confirm whether he received medication while detained. She said she was directed to multiple representatives and received noncommittal answers. Both said their family has not received clear information about the detainee's medical checks or medication status; Mia said her father was later transferred from Long Beach to Los Angeles County custody.
Speakers and advocates asked the council to meet directly with Councilwoman Mary Zendejas (referred to in the transcript as "councilwoman Mary Sandejas") and to improve coordination between police, the city's crisis-response team, and facility staff. Karina Guerrero noted published reporting that the city's crisis response team has limited staffing and asked for better resourcing and protocols for mental-health emergencies.
Council staff replied during the meeting that they would attempt to locate the detainee's whereabouts and ensure the family is informed. Mayor Rex Richardson asked staff to confirm the location and said the city would "do whatever we can to make sure you know where your father is." The transcript records the mayor directing staff to follow up on the family's concern.
No formal policy action was taken at the meeting. The speakers requested a direct meeting with the councilmember representing District 1 and raised broader policy questions about the crisis-response team size and coordination between law enforcement and mental-health responders.
What the family asked the council to do: schedule a meeting with Councilwoman Mary Zendejas; review whether police followed the city's mental-health crisis protocols in the Aug. 21 incident; and ensure detainees with serious mental illness receive medication and medical checks while in custody.
City action requested: the family asked for resources and staffing for the crisis-response team as part of a larger countywide and local care-system review.
