Law Enforcement and Mental Health Efforts: A Vital Strategy to Protect Our Communities

In the wake of violence committed by those with mental illnesses, proper response has proven vital in saving lives and protecting law enforcement officers. The Council of State Governments Justice Center has prepared a report which discusses the way individual states across the country are now forming policies and community organizations which are designed to effectively respond to people with mental illnesses. Resources often come from local and state agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations involved in mental health issues.

Across the nation, it has become increasingly important for law enforcement agencies to approach those with mental illnesses from the standpoint of treatment rather than incarceration. In Memphis, TN, officers are "trained to identify signs and symptoms of mental illness, de-escalate any situation involving an individual who appears to have a mental illness, and to connect that person in crisis to treatment." This specialized policing response (SPR) is executed by Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs).

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