Police Practice in Dealing with Severe Addictions and/or Mental Illness: Treatment or Arrest?

Abstract

The interaction between individuals with severe addictions and/or mental illness and police has been the continuing focus of media and public inquiries in many countries. In some cases, the interaction results in the death of the individual due to police utilizing deadly force. Many jurisdictions continue to study this phenomenon with the intent of implementing approach and policy changes so that the use of deadly force can be minimized. This requires a strategy that involves not only the police, but also other community partners including, but not limited to, community programs, homeless shelters, mental health practitioners, social services, and supervised injections sites. Certainly, front line police officers encounter individuals with severe addictions and/or mental health issues on a daily basis. Police involvement tends to increase in rural and remote communities due a lack of alternative resources. This chapter examines the complexity of how police approach these situations in both Canada and the UK. The Vancouver (Canada) Police Department has developed a ‘best practice’ that clearly demonstrates the need for changes in the way these situations are policed. Canada has also been at the forefront of ‘harm reduction’ policies and programs for those who are addicted to legal and illegal drugs. Canada is one of the few countries in the world that has funded ‘supervised injection sites’. In addition, Evidence Based Policing is examined. Finally, the chapter discusses the connection between ‘mental health’ and counter-terrorism. Frequently, attacks take place that are initially identified as ‘terrorist’ but after investigation they are determined be strictly related to the mental health of the perpetrator.