Police Officers Grapple with Surge in Mental Health Call-Outs

Edinburgh police officers are increasingly responding to mental health incidents. Early in their shift at Howdenhall police station, they were dispatched to a distress call involving a man wielding an axe and knife. The situation was quickly contained, but officers remained involved, with some spending hours waiting for his hospital admission and others securing his damaged property.

Police Scotland reports a significant rise in mental health-related calls, a situation exacerbated by the pandemic and economic challenges. Police numbers are dropping to their lowest since 2007, yet they encounter about 20,000 mental health incidents monthly, with 90% not related to crime. PC Kate Gardner notes that mental health response is becoming a main part of their job.

The shift mainly consists of welfare checks. Gardner and PC David Macleod checked on an unresponsive vulnerable individual and assessed a man who inquired about a rifle, concluding he was not a threat. They also re-admitted a woman who had left a psychiatric ward.

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham recognizes that the police are often acting as a stopgap for other services. While seeking collaborative solutions, a new call assessment system is beginning to reduce mental health call deployments.

In the UK, some regions only dispatch police for criminal or life-threatening mental health crises. Scotland is not adopting this but looks at other strategies and partnerships.

With public finances tight, finding solutions is challenging. The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland points to a staffing crisis in multiple sectors. A strategic review is called for by Scotland's chief inspector of constabulary, and mental health advocates push for patient-centered reforms.

The Scottish government is aware and working to ease the strain on frontline services. Later in the shift, PCs Macleod and Gardner checked on a suicidal woman, ensuring she was safe before leaving.

PC Gardner expressed surprise at the volume of mental health calls, while PC Macleod saw it as a routine part of their duty in serving the community.