LOS ANGELES —The head of the California Highway Patrol says a video showing an officer punching a woman indicates a need for more training on how to handle the mentally ill.
CHP Commissioner Joseph Farrow tells the Sacramento Bee Monday that he'd like to increase training for handling mentally ill contacts to 40 hours.
Farrow says all CHP officers have taken 12 hours of training — six in the academy and a refresher.
A video taken by a driver on July 1 showed an officer repeatedly punching a woman who reportedly was walking in and out of freeway traffic west of downtown Los Angeles.
Farrow says that officer had taken his refresher training two or three months ago.
He's on desk duty while the incident is under investigation.
