In one bright note to come out of a Roseville police officer being shot last month, city officials have agreed to upgrade the mental health program for law enforcers.
Police officers will now have a mental wellness counselor available to them 24/7 without a referral, according to department officials. City administrators approved the change following a January incident where a Roseville officer was shot during a barricaded gunman situation.
“The need for mental health always has been there,” police Chief Mitchell Berlin said during the Feb. 10 city council meeting. “But it’s just now that it’s getting the recognition it deserves and now it’s getting to the levels it should be at where you can have round-the-clock care and access to it without being impeded by clearances.”
In recent years, the department has been building a wellness crisis intervention and peer support program in collaboration with the Rev. James Friedman of the First Baptist Church of Eastpointe, who also serves as executive chief of the Global Chaplains Network.
According to Berlin, the program will have specialized counselors available to officers who feel they may need some support in handling a tragic situation. The officers will not need a department referral to access the assistance, the chief added.
James Friedman, who is one of four pastors working with the Eastpointe Police Department.
MACOMB DAILY FILE PHOTO
“Out of a major incident that was a negative comes a positive that will be very good for our officers,” Berlin said.
The officer, who has not been publicly identified, remains on leave as he continues to recover from a grazing head wound.
Asked when the officer might return to duty, Berlin said: “Hopefully soon.”
Meanwhile, the suspected shooter last week was referred by 39th District Court Judge Joseph F. Boedeker for a mental competency and criminal culpability evaluation.
Daniel Waldrep, 30, of Roseville, was referred to the Center for Forensic Psychiatry for an evaluation to determine whether he is competent to stand trial. A review hearing was scheduled for April 15.
“When questions arise regarding a defendant’s mental fitness, the court must pause the proceedings and obtain a professional evaluation. This step protects the fairness of the process and ensures that any outcome is legally sound. Addressing competency at the outset allows the case to move forward appropriately and upholds our responsibility to the victim and the community,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido.
Waldrep, a former Detroit police officer and military veteran faces a slew of criminal charges in connection with the shooting of the Roseville police officer, including several counts of assault with intent to murder, weapons, and domestic violence, according to prosecutors and court records.
The shootout took place on Jan. 23 when officers responded to a domestic disturbance at Waldrep’s house on Kathy Street near Frazho Road.
Neighbors told police he had been drinking and was armed with a gun when he displayed “aggressive behavior” toward his wife, 25-year-old Bryanna Waldrep. She eventually was able to escape while her husband allegedly fired shots at responding officers from a high-powered rifle, including the injured officer.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene. The suspect, who was shot in the arm, eventually surrendered after SWAT teams approached his house in armored personnel carriers.
During the arraignment hearing, defense attorney Charles Merlo said Waldrep suffers from post traumatic stress disorder.
Court records show Waldrep pleaded guilty in 2022 in Wayne County Circuit Court to two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder stemming from two separate 2019 incidents. Additional domestic violence charges against him in those cases were dismissed.
He resigned from the Detroit Police Department following the assault and domestic violence charges.
Waldrep remains in the Macomb County Jail on a $2 million cash bond.
