Police officers responded to 15,000 incidents in Staffordshire last year involving people with mental health issues – at a significant cost to the taxpayer – many of which could have been dealt with by more appropriate agencies.
Today Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis has welcomed a national report into the problem by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC).
In work commissioned by Mr Ellis earlier this year, a case by case report highlighted how much time officers spend dealing with mental health issues and the significant impact this has on operational policing.
The inspiration for the Staffordshire review came from a series of meetings Commissioner Ellis held with frontline officers to discuss the issues that affected them most.
The report in Staffordshire has focussed discussions with mental health agencies who are working to create round-the-clock response teams, working closely with officers.
Mr Ellis said: “I discussed the matter at length with the Home Secretary when she visited my office in May and I’m delighted that Staffordshire is helping to drive national policy on such a crucial matter.
“The police service tends to be the first port of call when such people need assistance, or find themselves in difficulty and I think this needs to change.
“I want those with the responsibility and the best and most appropriate skills, to make an effective contribution to the care of such individuals. The police service can’t continue to be
the primary place of safety when better, more equipped professionals and facilities are available elsewhere.”
