Abingdon police say mental health calls strain resources
Bristol Herald CourierAug 02, 2017
Officials in the department suggested that such calls hurt both patients dealing with mental issues and the police force's ability to spend time patrolling the city.
During the week of
Additionally, 1,406.6 miles were spent in patient transport. The town's officers average approximately 135 miles per shift. Last week's approximate 1,400 miles "equates to 10 shifts of patrol time that were spent elsewhere in the Commonwealth, as opposed to patrolling to enhance the safety for the citizens of
Taxpayers face a direct cost of
"The time, expense, and mileage costs are not reimbursed by any agency," the news release said. "There is no provision in law for the department to seek reimbursement from the Commonwealth or insurance companies."
"It is my hope that the legislature will address this issue, for good, in the next legislative session," Sullivan said.
"Putting patients in the back of patrol cars and driving them across the state for treatment is not the answer. It stigmatizes the issues of mental health, is uncomfortable for the patient, creates mistrust in the patient's view of law enforcement, and reduces the safety of our communities."