10.17.21 LPDAM True Crimes 1

LPDAM case files: true crimes 1 JOE: Sean, earlier this month a Brockton police officer was shot after responding to a 911 call due to gunfire being heard by neighbors. The officer reportedly found a young man dead in his car and confronted the suspect who ultimately shot him 4 times. The suspect ran into his house and a standoff occurred resulting in the killer committing suicide. It is being reported that the suspect had mental health issues. Are these scenarios avoidable? SEAN: Joe, most situations are avoidable when proactive measures are taken. For example, the suspect, Kevin Surpa in the case you are referring to had a criminal record and was no stranger to the police. The job of the police is to enforce laws and keep the peace. We need the courts to be more open to identifying the cause of a person’s actions while a case is pending. This has nothing to do with guilt or innocence. This is a community issue that often results in unnecessary victimization and a larger case load for courts. My 21st century defense theory allows a case to comply with the docket’s tracking order while allowing the individual to work on the cause of the allegations. It’s a win win for our communities & the individual receiving our social work services. JOE: How does someone get these services? It sounds costly? SEAN: It’s an investment Joe! We need to invest in our weakest links in our society to curve future victimization in our communities. It’s not complicated, but it just hasn’t been done on a consistent basis. To answer your question more specifically, a person only needs to ask their lawyer to file a motion with the court. The funding for this program is already approved statewide for people who have a bar advocate. We also offer the same service for our paying clients. We developed successful models that are proven to get better outcomes in all the courts. Judges like what we are doing and it benefits all of us. JOE: Sean, do you have a targeted population? SEAN: We are open to helping anyone with a court case. A majority of our clients are intellectually disabled or have a mental health or a substance abuse disorder. We find that most of these individuals are under-represented in Court and our services strongly contribute to more positive outcomes. As with the the Brockton suspect, getting him the right services when he was in court prior to this incident could have avoided the initial murder and the officer being shot. It’s an institutional issue that needs to be changed!