For Police, a Playbook for Conflicts Involving Mental Illness

One-third to half of those killed by police are disabled, a recent report says. “Our problem isn’t with police,” one mental health advocate says, but both sides say officers need more training.

The University of Michigan-Flint Department of Public Safety launched a new problem-oriented policing initiative aimed to reduce crime and improve 911 response time downtown. Having the UM-Flint department patrol downtown frees up the City of Flint department to answer 911 calls in the rest of the city more quickly. Problem-oriented policing has helped crime levels decrease significantly and helps foster connections between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

As more research has found links between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and negative health outcomes, a growing number of organizations and sectors are incorporating trauma-informed screening and training into their work. Police officers, primary care pediatricians, parents, and school counselors are moving away from the question "what's wrong with you?" to ask "what happened to you?"

Trauma training for police and community workers teaches them how to make tough situations, such as the arrest of a parent, easier on young children. Painful memories can alter perceptions of police for a lifetime.

As Chicago faces one of the worst policing crises in its history, it is looking at Las Vegas as a model as it prepares de-escalation training for its cops.

In New Haven, the police department launched a program that pairs cops with clinicians. “We see ourselves as psychiatrists with guns and a badge.” They see children as victims too, who can experience trauma when witnessing violence or arrests. So far they’ve helped more than 20,000 families and children.

Crimes against LGBT citizens have gone underreported in many U.S. cities. Washington DC’s Gay and Lesbian Liason Unit has employed and trained LGBT officers to represent community members that they protect and serve. After the establishment of the GLLU, the number of reported crimes has increased, demonstrating the comfort and trust that the community has with law enforcement.

The struggle of police in properly dealing with mentally ill citizens has been highlighted in recent news. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department plans to dramatically beef up its mental health policing capabilities, according to a newly-released report that provides a county-wide roadmap for county law enforcement's handling of suspects experiencing a mental health crisis.

The elder abuse task force is a specialized unit of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department that provides critical services to older residents and issues abuse-related warrants. Since its founding in 2018, the unit has served nearly 2,000 elderly residents and issued over 275 warrants; now, this abuse-prevention model is being scaled statewide.

Researchers trained Tucson police officers in procedural justice, which involves treating people with dignity and respect by giving them a voice and showing neutrality, to help them de-escalate situations with fewer arrests and less violence while building trust in the community.