Police: Mental health investigations in Lincoln increasing
The Grand Island IndependentJul 03, 2018
LINCOLN - Lincoln police are struggling to respond to more mental health calls as mental health services are at or near capacity, according to police officials.
Lincoln police Chief
While mental health calls make up about 2.5 percent of calls, they tend to take longer, said Officer
"With mental health calls, there's much more gray area," he said. "There's also the challenge of taking a long-term view of assisting mental health consumers."
Calls often involve creating a rapport with an individual, calling treatment facilities and considering placement options, Bonkiewicz said. Officers want to help everyone, but resources sometimes aren't available, he said.
Bliemeister recently told the
"While these levels of demand for mental health services are not always overwhelmed, they are increasingly at or near the capacity," he said.
Bonkiewicz said the