'It's not the police's responsibility to deal with mental health calls': Vernon RCMP
Kelowna Capital NewsMay 12, 2021
Mental health crises are on the rise as
Officers are being called several times a day to mental health related complaints, something they aren't happy with.
"We too agree that it's not necessarily the police's responsibility to deal with to all these mental health calls, but we're the only people at the end of the day that end up going," Supt.
The detachment is working with
"I was told for the size of our jurisdiction it would not be possible."
Baher admits that one car would likely not even be enough to deal with the amount of calls members are dispatched to.
What she would like to see is something similar to a pilot project in
"A nurse is able to help triage that call…maybe give you some tips and tricks on how to deal with the individual," Baher said. "Or better yet, say 'this isn't a policing call, we'll have the community nurse follow up with it."
Mental Health Week (
Officers responded as first responders to aid those 287 individuals experiencing crisis
The goal of each intervention is for safe resolution through compassion, understanding and empathy.
But police and all first responders are human, too, and not immune to the compounding emotional and psychological and emotional effects of involvement.
"All employees are encouraged to have regular check-ins with a mental health professional," Baher said.
"We want them to have someone in place, someone familiar, someone they can trust, should the need arise," she said. "All new members to the detachment are assigned a peer-to-peer mentor to ensure they are receiving any support they need and to help them establish good habits early on as they transition into their new career."
The RCMP are reminding the public that "you are not alone."