Brighton, N.Y. (WHAM) — A family is suing the Brighton Police Department after their 29-year-old son, Scott Matchett, took his own life. His two parents, who are both deaf, assert that the response to their son’s ongoing mental health crisis was inadequate due to a communication barrier.
On Feb. 24, 2021, the Matchett family called the police to help Scott, who was also deaf, during a mental health crisis. The family claims Brighton police denied them access to an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, making it impossible for their suicidal son to receive proper care.
“These calls were calls for help to get him help (and) to get him to a mental health hospital, and there were a lot of communication barriers that prevented that from happening,” said attorney Andrew Rozynski, who is representing the family.
In the lawsuit, the Matchetts say they were forced to communicate with the police via notes on an iPad, which they believe limited the officers’ ability to gather relevant information about Scott and his condition.
The suit states that in April of 2021, Scott himself called 911 during another crisis, requesting an ASL interpreter. According to his family, Brighton police again did not provide one and failed to utilize a 24/7 remote video interpreter.
“These interactions with deaf folks are going to happen, and they’re going to happen over and over again,” says Rozynski. “They need to be prepared, because it really could be a matter of life or death.”
Nearly four months later, in August, another 911 call came in — Scott had died by suicide. His parents say Brighton police failed to provide a proper interpreter for them during the tragedy.
“This case is about change,” says Rozynski. “It’s about sending a message to police departments across the country that they need to take into account — like they do with over 200 languages — how they are going to be prepared to communicate with their deaf citizens.”
John Mancuso, the attorney for the Town of Brighton, said:
The Town is aware of the two recent lawsuits involving allegations under federal statutes against certain officers within the Brighton Police Department. The Brighton Police Department takes great pride in providing the highest level of police service to the community at all levels. The Town plans to try these cases in a court of law and not in the court of public opinion, and fully intends on addressing the specific allegations in its submissions to the Court. Otherwise, the Town is not in a position to comment further at this time.
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