The Erie County Sheriff’s Office is proposing to enter an agreement with University Psychiatric Practice, Inc. (UPP) to provide services for the county’s Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT).
According to a memorandum obtained by 7 News, the partnership aims to “mitigate future risk of violence.” UPP psychiatrists — with forensic and clinical training — will offer voluntary evaluations of individuals being investigated by BTAT.
“After BTAT detectives identify an individual who may be on the pathway to violence but has not yet committed a crime, the most we can presently do is strongly encourage them to seek psychiatric care,” the memorandum reads. “With this agreement with UPP in place, we will now have the ability to offer them a specific and immediate resource that can provide an evaluation at no cost to the individual.”…