How mental health emergencies are handled, police have announced that from November, they will no longer respond to certain “inappropriate” requests from hospitals and mental health services. This move is part of a broader effort to limit police involvement in situations that do not require their presence, shifting the responsibility to health professionals and ensuring that police resources are used more effectively.
In a briefing to health officials, police outlined specific examples of requests that will no longer be handled by officers. These include tasks such as moving patients between rooms within inpatient units, providing security when staff express only moderate concerns, and transporting elderly dementia patients for routine assessments. Additionally, police will cease assisting compliant individuals who merely need to receive their medication.
The change comes after ongoing discussions between police, Health NZ, and the Ministry of Health. It aligns with Health NZ’s broader goal of providing care that is “least restrictive” and involves minimal coercion for people experiencing mental distress. By redefining the scope of police involvement, authorities hope to reduce the dependency on law enforcement in non-crisis health situations.
“Police will be applying a new threshold to mental health response matters – in essence, a set of business rules around what police should and shouldn’t be involved in.”
These “business rules” will serve as a guide for officers, enabling them to discern when their presence is necessary and when the situation can be safely managed by health professionals. According to police, although calls from hospitals involving non-criminal situations are not common, they do occur with enough frequency to necessitate this policy shift.
“Inappropriate” Requests Defined
The police have provided a list of scenarios they consider inappropriate for their involvement. These requests often fall outside the scope of police work, dealing more with logistical or routine tasks in mental health settings. Some examples include:
- Moving Patients within Health Facilities: Hospitals have, on occasion, requested police assistance in moving patients from one room to another within inpatient mental health units. While this may be seen as necessary for staff safety in some instances, police argue that such duties fall outside their remit.
- Low-Risk Security Concerns: Police have been called to provide a security presence when hospital staff have moderate concerns about patient behavior. Moving forward, the police believe these concerns should be addressed by hospital security personnel, or through better planning by health services. Transporting Elderly Dementia Patients: In situations where elderly patients with dementia need to be assessed for mental health issues, police have been asked to facilitate transport. Under the new guidelines, this will now be the responsibility of health services, except in situations where the patient poses a significant risk.
- Medication Compliance: Another area where police have been called inappropriately is to assist in bringing patients who are compliant but need to visit a facility to receive their medication. This, too, will no longer involve police intervention, as such situations do not typically pose a safety concern.
By drawing a clear line between health services’ responsibilities and those of the police, the new guidelines aim to streamline the response process, reducing unnecessary involvement of law enforcement.
The police pullback will be implemented gradually in four distinct phases, starting in November and continuing into the next year. Each phase introduces new thresholds and rules governing police involvement in mental health-related incidents. The goal is to provide mental health services time to adjust and develop their internal response capabilities.
Phase One: Focus on Emergency Departments and Transportation
The first phase, which begins in November, will see changes to how police handle voluntary mental health assessments and transportation.
- Voluntary Handover at Emergency Departments: For individuals transported to an emergency department (ED) by police for a voluntary mental health assessment (where the person is not detained under the Mental Health Act), a documented handover process will now be in place. Once this handover is completed, police will no longer be required to stay at the hospital.
- Transportation Responsibilities: Police have frequently been involved in the transportation of individuals to and from mental health facilities. From November, however, this will change. Police will require that mental health services engage in more comprehensive risk planning and assess whether their involvement is truly necessary. This marks a significant departure from the previous routine reliance on police for such tasks.
- Inpatient Mental Health Units: Moving forward, the police will reduce their presence in inpatient mental health facilities unless there is an immediate risk to safety. This change aims to limit the overlap between law enforcement and healthcare professionals, emphasizing the latter’s role in managing mental health situations within their facilities.
Upcoming Phases
While the details of the remaining phases have not been fully disclosed, it is clear that the police are committed to refining their involvement in mental health-related incidents. By the end of the pullback, police hope to have significantly reduced their presence in situations that do not involve criminal activity or an immediate risk to public safety.
Rationale Behind the Change
The decision to scale back police involvement in mental health crises is not without its controversies, but it reflects a growing global trend toward reducing the role of law enforcement in non-criminal incidents, particularly in healthcare settings. The rationale is multi-faceted:
- Resource Allocation: Police resources are stretched thin, and the demand for their services in critical, crime-related matters continues to grow. By reducing their involvement in non-criminal mental health cases, police can focus their efforts on public safety and law enforcement.
- Mental Health Expertise: Mental health professionals are better equipped to handle many of the situations that police are currently responding to. By empowering health services to take the lead, it is believed that patients will receive more appropriate care from the outset.
- Reducing Coercion: One of Health NZ’s key goals is to minimize the coercive nature of mental health interventions. The presence of police officers, especially when not absolutely necessary, can exacerbate the distress of individuals in mental health crises. Reducing police involvement supports a more compassionate and patient-centered approach to care.
Challenges and Concerns
While the changes are intended to benefit both law enforcement and healthcare providers, some concerns have been raised by stakeholders in the mental health field. Health services will need to invest in additional training and resources to handle situations that were previously managed by police.
- Impact on Healthcare Workers
Healthcare workers, especially those in emergency departments and mental health facilities, may feel increased pressure as a result of the police pullback. There is concern that staff may be left vulnerable in situations where a patient becomes agitated or violent. To mitigate this, hospitals may need to bolster their own security measures or develop rapid response protocols for escalating situations. “While I understand the rationale behind reducing police involvement, the reality is that healthcare workers may not always feel equipped to handle high-risk situations on their own. It’s essential that we have the right support in place to ensure both staff and patient safety.” For health services to effectively take over the responsibilities that were once managed by police, significant investment in training, staff, and resources will be required. The focus will need to shift toward preparing healthcare workers to manage potentially volatile situations, including de-escalation techniques and risk assessment protocols. - Safety Net for High-Risk Situations
The phased pullback includes measures to ensure that police will still be involved in high-risk situations. However, defining what constitutes “high-risk” could be a challenge. Clear guidelines will need to be established so that police can respond quickly and appropriately when their involvement is genuinely needed. The police pullback represents a shift in how society approaches mental health crises. By reducing law enforcement’s role, there is hope that mental health professionals can take the lead in providing care that is less intimidating and more supportive of patient recovery.
However, this change also underscores the need for a robust mental health system capable of managing complex, high-risk situations without defaulting to police intervention. Success will depend on how well health services can adapt to their new responsibilities and how effectively they can collaborate with police to ensure a smooth transition.
As the phased pullback continues into next year, all eyes will be on the outcomes – both for individuals experiencing mental health crises and for the healthcare workers tasked with supporting them.
While there is optimism that these changes will lead to a more compassionate approach to mental health care, it is clear that careful planning and significant investment in resources will be required to make this vision a reality.
