Resident perspectives on police involvement in the response to mental health crises

Abstract

Exclusive reliance on police in the response to mental health crises can result in avoidable injury or missed connections to supportive services. Many cities are experimenting with co-deploying police officers alongside health professionals or deploying teams comprised entirely of civilian health professionals. No studies have explored the perspectives and preferences about these programs among residents in structurally disadvantaged areas where: mental health distress is more common, mental health services are less accessible, and involvement with police is more frequent and fraught. In this survey of residents from two such areas, many respondents suggested that police presence is necessary during the response to mental health crises because of the risk of violence but were simultaneously uncomfortable with police officer involvement. Discomfort with police involvement was especially strong among younger and Black residents. Support for co-deployment was high across all subgroups.

Keywords

• Co-deployment
• behavioural health emergencies
• community perspectives
• first responders
• structural disadvantage