Promoting a Shift in Educational Policy and Professional Learning to Guide Police Leadership and Practice in Response to Mental Health Calls

This article explores the role policies and Acts have in directing police leaders as they create in-service training for police officers. The article considers whether policies and Acts adequately encourage police officers’ professional development in de-escalation, crisis intervention, and mental health awareness skills一skills that would benefit police officers in their responses toward citizens in crisis, persons with perceived mental illness (PwPMI), a demographic that frequently necessitates police intervention. While predating and then amplified during the pandemic, there continues to be a mental health crisis that is prevalent in society and an issue during police-civilian encounters. Our environmental scan delved into scholarly journals, grey literature, and provincial policies and Acts that instruct police officers professional development, to further current discussions on educational practices for police officers who respond to PwPMI. The scan examined ministry documents and explored which skills (i.e., firearms training, baton training, de-escalation training) are prioritized through legislation. Our analysis elucidates how existing policies can be optimized to better equip police personnel in managing crises involving PwPMI. The increase in contact between police and PwPMI highlights the need to revisit priorities regarding police services’ professional learning. This research addresses a paucity of research on a topic of growing concern and simultaneously offers insights for police leaders into enhancing the preparedness and efficacy of law enforcement responses to mental health crises, ultimately fostering improved outcomes for individuals in distress, the broader community, and police officers, and for developers of professional learning programs on the topic of police responses to PwPMI.