The Guam Police Department is hosting a meeting this afternoon to bring together representatives from the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and the Office of the Attorney General to open dialogue on how law enforcement professionals should handle individuals with mental illnesses.  According to GPD spokesperson Officer Allan Guzman, the participating agencies are working on forming a coalition with an end result of crafting a memorandum of understanding on how these organizations can work together in responding to people with mental illnesses.

The meeting will be held at 2pm at the Dededo Precinct. The formation of this coalition and MOU comes on the heels of the shooting death of Darson Rekemesik a week ago today.   His mother Marcella told police that he suffered from a mental illness when she asked for their help a week ago. A police officer shot him twice in the chest.

Funeral arrangements have been scheduled for next Wednesday at the Agana Heights Seventh-Day Adventist Church.  A viewing will be from 9am to 12:30 in the afternoon, followed by a family viewing until 1pm.  Funeral services are from 1-2:30pm with the burial to follow at the Rest Haven Cemetery in Talofofo.