Chapter 9 Improving police procedures for dealing with mental illness

Police officers increasingly encounter situations involving citizens with mental health issues. This is in part due to changes in the civil commitment laws of many countries which have resulted in a sharp decline in the use of psychiatric hospitals as well as the failure of communities to provide adequate funding for local mental health services. Consequently, police are often the first responders to situations involving individuals with mental health issues. Research suggests that individuals with mental health issues are more likely to be arrested, a phenomenon which has been referred to as the criminalization of persons with mental illness. These interactions occasionally are fatal, sometimes as a result of “suicide by cop.” This chapter reviews research on the nature and frequency of police encounters with citizens with mental health issues. Police training programs designed to provide officers with skills to deal more effectively with these interactions are highlighted. Community-based alternatives to arrest and detention are reviewed.