Re “Interstate 5 reopens after man threatening to jump from overpass is taken into custody” (Dec. 6): As someone caught in Friday’s freeway shutdown, and with full sympathy for the individual experiencing an acute mental health crisis, I believe the city and our regional police and fire departments should reassess protocols for these situations.
For eight hours, all major northbound routes were paralyzed, causing thousands to miss flights, appointments, events and business obligations. While every life deserves care and dignity, it is reasonable to ask whether one person’s crisis should bring an entire region to a standstill. After an appropriate period of attempted de-escalation, more timely intervention with safe, nonlethal measures may have been warranted to reopen critical transportation corridors.
This incident highlights the need to balance compassionate response with the broader community’s well-being and to ensure clearer, more decisive guidelines for future emergencies.
— Jeffrey Luban, Carlsbad
The person to evaluate over mental health should be the person in charge of that mess.
— Richard Harmetz, San Diego