Co-Deployment is an Answer, but What are the Questions? Insights from Officer Focus Groups in Philadelphia

Cities have been experimenting with less police-centered models for responding to people experiencing mental health crises. Ten focus groups were conducted with Philadelphia police officers to understand their experiences encountering mental health distress in the community and their perspectives on a new co-deployment initiative. There was general consensus that conventional police-centered responses to mental health concerns are often problematic. However, perspectives varied on the value of co-deployment and the general feasibility of reducing police involvement. This variation is traced to different notions of what constitutes a mental health crisis, whether crises are prospectively identifiable, how dangerousness is assessed, and whether civilian co-response partners will effectively complete key response activities. Bringing greater understanding and consensus to these issues is essential to healthier and more effective responses to mental health crises.