By CASEY NEILL
IT TOOK eight police, two protective services officers and plenty of capsicum spray to subdue a mentally ill man on a violent nudie run in Dandenong’s CBD.
A video of his rampage posted online yesterday (Wednesday) highlighted the struggle Dandenong police regularly faced with incidents involving the mentally ill.
“It takes up a fair bit of our work,” Dandenong Sergeant Cassy Stone told the Star.
“We have a lot of people out on community treatment orders from the Dandenong Hospital psych unit.”
Sgt Stone said the man left Dandenong Railway Station and walked along busy Foster Street at lunchtime on 15 March.
“A member of the public flagged down a police officer saying there was a naked man smashing windows and assaulting people,” she said.
Protective services officers from nearby Dandenong Magistrates’ Court and police from the neighbouring station ran to assist.
Sgt Stone said the naked man lashed out at them as they tried to subdue him with OC foam.
“A road block was formulated and the man was arrested,” she said.
The man, in his 40s, was admitted to Dandenong Hospital’s psychiatric unit and police have not yet interviewed him over the incident.
“Police priority is getting people with mental health issues help before we look at processing anyone for a crime,” Sgt Stone said.
