Police departments worldwide are grappling with an escalating number of emergency calls involving individuals in mental health crises, and New Zealand is no exception to this trend.
Over the past half-decade, the volume of police responses to mental health incidents in New Zealand has surged by 64%, reaching a staggering 77,043 calls.
Despite the injection of funds for an additional 500 frontline officers in the latest budget, the situation appears unlikely to ameliorate significantly.
A chorus of voices is advocating for an alternative paradigm that prioritizes a health-centered response to all mental health emergencies. However, uncertainty looms regarding the practical implementation of such a strategy.
Insights gleaned from recent research suggest that adopting a trauma-informed support framework could serve as a transformative approach. Such a shift holds promise for substantially diminishing police involvement while concurrently enhancing support for individuals undergoing distress.
The research endeavor enlisted the collaborative efforts of academics hailing from various New Zealand universities, in conjunction with the New Zealand Police and individuals who had firsthand encounters with law enforcement during episodes of mental distress.
Engaging with 28 individuals, the research team delved into their experiences of interacting with law enforcement officers during moments of psychological turmoil, with a particular emphasis on how officers’ actions either facilitated or impeded the resolution of the situation.
Furthermore, to gain deeper insights into the operational realities faced by police officers in such scenarios, researchers accompanied them on 53 shifts and conducted interviews with 73 officers. Additionally, the content of 70 emergency 111 calls flagged as mental health-related was meticulously analyzed.
The synthesized findings have offered crucial insights into how systemic changes could, and indeed should, be contemplated and implemented within New Zealand’s law enforcement apparatus.
A prevailing theme identified was the profound frustration experienced by police officers due to the chronic underfunding of mental health services. One officer encapsulated this sentiment by describing how it engenders a self-fulfilling prophecy, lamenting the absence of alternative avenues for individuals in distress to seek assistance.
However, an analysis of 111 calls indicated that in many instances, mental health or social service providers could feasibly spearhead responses without necessitating police intervention. This paradigm shift would entail reimagining emergency responses to mental health crises and routine welfare checks, which are routinely carried out by police officers.
Remarkably, none of the calls examined in the research sample were rerouted to the Earlier Mental Health Response 24/7 triage line administered by Whakarongorau, the national telehealth service. This underscores the pressing need for the establishment of a readily accessible national point of contact for mental health issues, akin to the existing infrastructure for fire or ambulance services when dialing 111.
Moreover, the imperative for alternative approaches to acknowledge and address underlying trauma was underscored by the narratives shared by individuals participating in the study. Participants uniformly highlighted the pivotal significance of police officers being equipped to discern and navigate the complex interplay of trauma underlying mental distress.
For instance, Ana articulated a poignant message emphasizing the necessity for law enforcement to shift from a paradigm centered on diagnosing individuals’ perceived faults to one that seeks to understand the adversities they have endured. Such a shift, she contended, fosters an environment devoid of judgment and empowers individuals to articulate their anguish freely.
While police officers often expressed a desire for more specialized training, the research underscored that a fundamental humanistic response predicated on empathy, respect, and genuine concern resonated most profoundly with individuals in distress. When officers endeavored to establish a rapport characterized by understanding and compassion, the individuals they served reported diminished levels of distress and an improved rapport with law enforcement.
Nevertheless, not all encounters with police were characterized by positive outcomes. Participants voiced concerns regarding the pervasive criminalization of individuals in mental distress, lamenting instances where they were subjected to handcuffs, detention cells, police vehicles, and canine units despite not having committed any offenses.
Kelly recounted a distressing experience where she felt humiliated and overwhelmed when approached by police officers in a public setting, illustrating the deleterious effects of such encounters on individuals already grappling with psychological turmoil.
Furthermore, instances of biased, racially tinged, and discriminatory responses by law enforcement were cited, underscoring the imperative for comprehensive reforms aimed at rectifying systemic inequities.
The findings of the research underscore the pressing need for multifaceted reforms both within and outside the purview of law enforcement agencies. By embracing a trauma-informed approach predicated on basic humanistic principles, police officers can mitigate experiences of criminalization and curtail the retraumatization of individuals in distress.
Annie’s testimonial encapsulates the transformative potential of policing that prioritizes empathy and understanding, affirming the intrinsic worth and dignity of individuals irrespective of their mental health status.
While alternative approaches may still necessitate police involvement to ensure public safety, it is imperative that law enforcement agencies instill confidence in their officers to adopt trauma-informed practices characterized by empathetic engagement across all facets of frontline policing.
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