New training helps Mass. police make strides in dealing with mental illness

ASHLAND, Mass. — Weymouth police shot a woman they say refused orders to drop a knife on Sunday and neighbors say she suffers from mental illness.

It's an issue that complicates police responses, but local departments told FOX25 they've made huge strides in how they respond to mental health calls thanks to increased training.

"One of the most complex issues we deal with is responding with people with mental illness in our community," Ashland Police Chief Craig Davis said.

Chief Davis has been at the forefront of how police officers in Massachusetts handle mental health calls. About 10 percent of all calls to his department deal with mental health and  the calls are increasing.

"Those folks that have behavioral health disorders are now coming into contact with police officers with more and more frequency," Chief Davis said.

According to the treatment advocacy center, people with mental illness are 16 times more likely than others to be killed by police.

That's why every officer in Mass. is required to undergo four hours of training each year in how to communicate with someone with a mental health disorder.

"There's so much more calls that we respond to, people aren't necessarily going to comply with our instructions," said Davis.

While police officers are responding to more mental health calls, they are getting help on scene that, in many cases, could be saving lives.

According to the national alliance on mental illness, two million jail bookings involve a person with a mental illness; and one in four people killed in officer-involved shootings has a serious mental illness.

Departments across Mass. now have mental health clinicians that will respond along with police on a call involving mental health.

"The reason we do that is that the mental health clinical will immediately perform an evaluation, on scene, in the moment," Chief Davis said. "Then the clinical can refer or get appropriate mental health treatment for arrest."

Mass. State Police says every academy recruit also receives 12 hours of mental health instruction.

Cox Media Group