daniel prude

The Gates Town police chief announced on Monday that he will no longer send individuals who are taken into custody for a mental health crisis to Strong Hospital.

Chief Jim VanBrederode said it's a temporary pause until the hospital implements a standardized discharge procedure and follow-up care plan for mental hygiene arrestees. It does not affect other medical trauma transports.

An attorney representing the family of Daniel Prude will argue in state court Thursday that the city of Rochester withheld some records that he and his co-counsel requested regarding Prude’s death at the hands of Rochester police officers.

Elliot Shields filed a complaint in state Supreme Court on Sept. 21 alleging that the city did not fully respond to an April 3 open records request for all communications and body-worn camera footage related to Prude’s fatal encounter with police on March 23.

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, former police Chief La’Ron Singletary and City Councilmember Mary Lupien headline a new round of subpoenas sent out by independent investigator Andrew Celli Thursday. 

Racial disparities in Rochester, which have been highlighted by issues surrounding the death of Daniel Prude, was the topic of a live forum broadcast on WXXI-TV and radio on Thursday night as well as online at wxxinews.org.

A panel that included people from the health care, criminal justice and mental health counseling fields talked about a number of problems they see impeding real progress right now for people of color in Rochester.

A conference at Monroe Community College on Friday has the goal of trying to strengthen mental health support for a diverse student population.

College officials note that the intersection of three crises, COVID-19, economic struggles and racial injustices, has taken a toll on the mental well-being of many college students and also exposed health disparities in communities across the state and the nation.