December 18, 2012

Special Coverage: The Aftermath of Newtown

Here in Los Angeles, Chief Charlie Beck has announced a plan to have a police officer present at every elementary and middle school in the city beginning in January. Val talks to officers Charles Dempsey and Chuck Lennon of the Los Angeles Police Department's Systemwide Mental Assessment Response Team, or SMART, to find out how law enforcement is taking a proactive approach to dealing with people who are mentally unstable and who could cause harm to themselves or others. Correspondent Vince Gonzales takes a look at Laura's Law, which allows authorities to treat people with serious mental illness against their will. Reporter David Haldane talks to Madeleine about the difficult decision of institutionalizing his own son. And contributor John Ridley tells us what he thinks America's culture of violence has to do with tragic events such as these.