Who you gonna call? Examining police reports involving people with psychosis to improve front line management

Background In New South Wales (NSW), Australia, police respond to mental health related events every nine minutes, sometimes resulting in negative outcomes, including arrest, use of force and death. Methods In this exploratory study, we manually analyzed 100 “patient” narratives (i.e., narratives with the involvement type for the suspected individual set by police as “patient”) to describe police encounters with individuals reported to have psychotic disorders in NSW from 2017 to 2021 to identify the reasons for police involvement, arrest circumstances, and outcomes. Results Of 100 events, 59% involved males, 40% females, and one transgender patient. Most (60%) reported multiple mental illnesses, and 44% involved substance use and alcohol. Half (53%) occurred at the patient’s residence, followed by public places (17%). Police were called by the patient (25%), or a family member/partner (24%). Common reasons included welfare concerns (22%) and domestic disputes (18%). Only 11% resulted in arrest, while 71% resulted in transport to hospital/mental health unit. More than half (55%) resulted in the patient being scheduled under the Mental Health Act. Use of force was minimal, reported in 5% of events. Conclusions Our preliminary findings challenge the stereotype of “dangerous” mentally ill individuals, with most police encounters involving welfare outcomes. Interactions with police such as those examined here present an opportunity for mental health services diversion, and cross-sectoral collaboration to address community care gaps. This study underscores the role police play in managing those experiencing mental health crises and the need for police training to effectively manage these situations.