EDITORIAL: A new Mpls. response on mental health calls – By Editorial Board (Star Tribune) / July 26 2021
But staff must receive proper training on how to evaluate them.
When the Minneapolis Police Department is called to respond to a mental health problem, dispatchers will soon have an alternative to sending sworn officers. City leaders recently announced a pilot program that will deploy civilian crisis teams to take care of certain types of emergencies.
It’s a welcome move that holds promise to reduce the number of arrests, injuries and fatal shootings of people in crisis, while also freeing up time for officers to do other work. Instead of police, whose presence in uniform can make some situations worse, mobile response teams will take some behavioral health calls.Mental health advocates have long supported alternatives for situations that don’t necessarily require armed responders.
At the same time, city and MPD leaders must make sure that dispatchers and other staff receive the proper training to evaluate calls. For example, officers will continue to be dispatched when a call involves weapons or violence.
CONTINUE > https://www.startribune.com/a-new-mpls-response-on-mental-health-calls/600081683/
