Police-Encounters-With-People-In-Crisis

the scene to assess a client’s threat level, or support police in their
intervention by mobilizing community resources. 26
(c)
(d)
(e)
Response by both police and mental health professionals, in partnership:
This model uses a mobile response team, composed of a specially trained
police officer and a mental health professional working together to
respond to calls involving people in crisis. Teams can be based out of the
police service or the mental health system. Toronto’s MCIT and
Hamilton’s Crisis Outreach Assessment and Support Team (COAST) are
examples.
Response by mental health professionals: Some jurisdictions have
response teams composed solely of mental health professionals, social
workers, and other healthcare experts, without involvement of the police.
Vancouver’s Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams were an
example of this model, until 2012 when the Vancouver Police Department
(VPD) joined the program.
Peer response teams: Some organizations bring together people who either
live with mental illness or have been treated for mental illness, to provide
a peer response to individuals in crisis by telephone or in person. The
Gerstein Centre in Toronto is an example.
45. These models each have their own advantages and disadvantages. As a result, it is
important to appreciate that they are not mutually exclusive options. They can be
deployed alongside one another in a complementary manner.
46. Below I discuss three cities that have taken approaches different from Toronto’s
MCIT model: Vancouver’s combination of ACT teams and Car 87; Memphis’ CIT; and
Hamilton’s combination of CIT, MCIT and COAST.
47. To illustrate the diversity of response models available, I have reproduced a table
provided by the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, which
demonstrates the range of available response models and examples of police services
that employ each model. 27 The models used in Toronto, Vancouver, Memphis, and
Hamilton are bolded.
26
Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, Plan d’action stratégique en matière de santé mentale 2013-2015, “L’intervention
policère auprès de personnes mentalement perturbées ou en crise” (Montréal: Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, undated)
at 8.
27
This table has been modified slightly from the version provided by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. It
is not a comprehensive list of crisis response programs, but it demonstrates the variety of programs that exist.
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