Police Legitimacy and Mental Illness

It is hard to ignore the fact that today’s police agencies are the true front line workers when it comes to mental illness. While mental health professionals are the ones diagnosing and treating these individuals, police officers across the country are the ones being called to people’s homes, jobs, and even schools when an individual is in crisis. While 99% of these interactions end without violence, individuals suffering from mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed at the hands of the police. In order to prevent these individuals from becoming another statistic of deadly physical force by police, law enforcement agencies must train their officers in Crisis Intervention Training as well as partner with local mental health professional agencies to properly diagnose and treat individuals within their jurisdiction. 

The county in which I work made it mandatory for all officers to receive 40 hours of Crisis Intervention Training, which I was fortunate to take while in the academy prior to any real life police experience. I believe it is harder for seasoned officer’s to forget their previous experiences and tactics when dealing with individuals in crisis, however, it is imperative for success and the avoidance of deadly physical force. At the end of the day, if the situation calls for deadly physical force, then measures must be taken to preserve innocent lives as well as the lives of the officers involved. Through Crisis Intervention Training, officers are taught how to interact with and deal with individuals in crisis in an attempt to calm them down rather than make the situation worse. Rather than completely dismissing their thoughts and actions, officers are taught to be compassionate and understanding while working toward a peaceful resolution with all parties involved. It sounds somewhat simple, however, I can assure you it is very complex and constantly evolving/changing as the situation unfolds. 

New York State Mental Health Laws only allow officers to intervene with arrest when an individual in crisis is an immediate threat to themselves or others, which can sometimes be hard to determine. To help alleviate the stress that is put on the shoulders of the officers on the scene, the county I work in enacted the Crisis Mobile Response Team. When an incident occurs involving an individual in crisis, it is mandatory for the agencies in my county to contact the Crisis Mobile Response Team and request their assistance in diagnosing/treating the individual. In less urgent, non physical incidents, officers will contact the team and request a follow up once the issue(s) at hand have been resolved. In urgent matters, that may or may not have included physical violence, officers will remain on scene with the individual and await the arrival of the Crisis Mobile Response Team. Once the mental health professionals arrive on scene, they have the power to say whether or not the individual needs to be taken into custody under NYS Mental Health Laws and subsequently transported to a mental health facility for further evaluation. This not only allows for a resolution to the problem at hand, but it also starts the process of diagnosis and treatment to prevent further incidents from happening in the future. 

For too long, the police have been seen as the enemy when it comes to mental health intervention. Rather than addressing and helping in the mental health world, police are often associated with violence and arresting those who are suffering from mental illness. It is imperative that agencies across the country train their officers to come to peaceful resolutions, which also means securing and allocating proper funds to do so. Through Crisis Intervention Training and county/ statewide mental health initiatives, similar to the Crisis Mobile Response Team, police agencies will not only become more legitimate in the eyes of the public but also in the eyes of individuals suffering from mental illness. 

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2021). Criminal behavior: a psychological approach. Boston: Pearson.

Carroll, Heather. “People with Untreated Mental Illness 16 Times More Likely to Be Killed By Law Enforcement.” Treatment Advocacy Center, www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/key-issues/criminalization-of-mental-illness/2976-people-with-untreated-mental-illness-16-times-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-law-enforcement-. 

“Orange County Crisis Call Center: Orange County, NY.” Orange County Crisis Call Center | Orange County, NY, www.orangecountygov.com/1796/Crisis-Call-Center.

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