Canadian police agencies and their interactions with persons with a mental illness: a systems approach

Abstract

In the 1980s, Canadian police began to experience different demands on their resources with respect to their interactions with persons with a mental illness (PMI) who were in crisis. Deinstitutionalization of PMI and an increasing emphasis on individual rights required a different business model. Change initially was slow but progressive police leaders soon realized that a systems approach was necessary to work cooperatively and collaboratively with other elements of the social service system, such as mental health and the wider criminal justice systems. Subsequently, across Canada various models were designed and programs delivered to better serve those with a mental illness, in particular when they are in crisis; these models now enable police and mental health service providers to better deploy their respective resources.

Keywords:

• person with mental illness
• PMI
• systems approach
• police
• mental health system
• Systems Theory
• CACP: Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
• MHA: Mental Health Act
• Canada

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Lisa Heslop, Heather Hodgson, and Dr David Gotlib for their invaluable assistance with the form and content of this paper.

Notes

1. Although some jurisdictions use the term EDP (emotionally disturbed person), this paper will use the term PMI.

2. This an annotation in the RMS that quickly identifies to the police employee accessing a name that the subject is, for example, considered violent, HIV positive, or has a mental illness. While ‘flags’ are considered useful to police officers in gauging appropriate responses they are not always established objectively.

3. While the RCMP is considered as a national police agency it does in fact have three distinct roles depending on which part of the country they operate in. They have a role as Canada’s federal police but they also have a role as provincial police when under contract to the provinces and territories in Canada that do not have their own provincial police service. That is, all except Ontario and Quebec. In addition, they operate in provinces other than Quebec and Ontario as municipal police in municipalities which have chosen not to establish independent municipal police services but have contracted with the RCMP to provide that service.

4. It is not necessary that the person has committed a criminal code offense, and the police action is an apprehension not an arrest.

5. Legislation in some jurisdictions also authorizes police to apprehend PMI who have left a psychiatric facility when an involuntary certification is in place, or who have violated the terms of a community treatment order or outpatient committal.

6. In a few Canadian jurisdictions, mental health courts have been established to hear cases with respect to lesser offences.

7. There is limited comprehensive literature available on this. However, the authors have substantial personal and professional experience in police/mental health matters in particular over the past seven to eight years. This assessment is based in large part on their collective experience.

8. This model is often called the Reception Centre Model in the USA.