Best Practices in Law Enforcement Responses to Mental Health Crises

Many law enforcement agencies are experiencing a high demand for crisis services but have no clear answers for what to do about it. 

Recent statistics show about 20% of adults and 50% of adolescents in the United States live with a mental illness. Estimates also show between 6% and 10% of all police calls involve someone with a serious mental illness. These calls can all too often end in tragedy or people with a mental illness end up in jail. Studies have also estimated that up to 25% of all police shootings in recent years have involved people with a mental illness.

The League of Minnesota Cities recently partnered with the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and the Minnesota Sheriffs Association to develop a guide for best practices in mental health crisis response among law enforcement personnel. The guide’s content was written by attorney Bill Everett, principal of Everett Law LLC and a former police officer, and is based on a series of meetings with key law enforcement and mental health professionals from all areas of the state.

The best practices guide outlines the current response challenges faced by agencies and identifies realistic solutions and approaches for addressing those challenges based on a set of mutually agreed-upon guiding principles.

Download the guide, “Best Practices in Law Enforcement Responses to Mental Health Crises” (pdf)

Send your questions or comments to tstille@lmc.org or call me at (651) 215-4051.

Remember: Responder Safety = Public Safety

In the meantime, stay safe and be careful - 

Tracy