Police accommodations for mental illness

The question whether §12132 “requires law enforcement officers to provide accommodations to an armed, violent, and mentally ill suspect in the course of bringing the suspect into custody,” Pet. for Cert. i, is dismissed as improvidently granted. Certiorari was granted on the understanding that San Francisco would argue that Title II of the ADA does not apply when an officer faces an armed and dangerous individual. Reynolds and Holder are entitled to qualified immunity from liability for the injuries suffered by Sheehan. Public officials are immune from suit under 42 U. S. C. §1983 unless they have “violated a statutory or constitutional right that was ‘ “ ‘clearly established’ ” ’ at the time of the challenged conduct,” Plumhoff v. Rickard, 572 U. S. ___, ___, an exacting standard that “gives government officials breathing room to make reasonable but mistaken judgments,” Ashcroft v. al-Kidd, 563 U. S. ___, ___. 10–

Result

Dismissed

The Court said officials can be held liable only if they violate a right that was clearly established at the time. It described this demanding rule as giving officials room to make reasonable mistakes.

The ruling protects the two officers from liability for Sheehan’s injuries. The Court did not decide the ADA question in this case.