Police Not Responding to Mental Health Calls | Wine True Crime Podcast ‘Blood Vines’ | Chornobyl Photography Exhibit

Insight With Vicki Gonzalez

Why a growing number of California law enforcement agencies are not responding to nonviolent mental health calls. Also, the Central Valley wine true crime podcast “Blood Vines.” Finally, a Chornobyl photography exhibit in Sacramento.

Police Not Responding to Mental Health Calls

At the start of the year, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper announced a change in response - his department would no longer respond to mental health crisis calls unless a crime had occurred, was in progress, or someone was deemed to be in imminent danger. On Insight, Sheriff Cooper explained that law enforcement officers are not trained mental health professionals and there have been bad outcomes in the past. This is part of a larger shift among law enforcement agencies worried about their own liability. Lee Romney is an independent journalist and joins us to discuss her latest piece, which was published in CalMatters, looking at the early impact of this change in response.

CalMatters is a nonprofit newsroom that partners with public media newsrooms across the state.

Wine True Crime Podcast ‘Blood Vines’

Over 30 years ago, one of the biggest wine scams in U.S. history rocked the Central Valley. The scandal centered around fraud, White Zinfandel, and the murder of a key witness. Investigative reporter Chris Walker is the host of the new podcast Blood Vines and joins us with how this case led to the downfall of a California wine dynasty and reshaped the industry forever.

Chornobyl Photography Exhibit

Therese Iknoian had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to capture images of a region abandoned after a nuclear accident. In January 2020, the Grass Valley-based photographer traveled to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone in Northern Ukraine (or "Chernobyl" in the Russian-derived spelling) to bear witness to how nature was slowly reclaiming this area. Her work is on display this month at Viewpoint Gallery in Sacramento. The show opens Wed. May 7, with artist receptions on May 10 and May 18.