A focus for mental health training for police
| Date | 12 June 2017 |
| Pages | 93-104 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-01-2017-0005 |
| Published date | 12 June 2017 |
| Author | Stuart Thomas,Amy Watson |
Invited paper
A focus for mental health training
for police
Stuart Thomas and Amy Watson
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to propose a focus for mental health training efforts to better equip
officers to provide interventions and supports to help facilitate improved outcomes for people experiencing
mental health crises.
Design/methodology/approach –A reflection on key evidence relating to mental health training
programmes delivered to police, focussing on Australia, the USA and Canada.
Findings –While there are a number of similarities in the core content of mental health training programmes
offered internationally, the availability and uptake of training across jurisdictions remains piecemeal and
idiosyncratic. Police officers report a strong preference for hands-on experiential learning; this has immediate
and direct relevance to their operational duties, and is consistent with core principles of andragogy. While all
police employees require mental health training, specialised mental health training programmes should clearly
be reserved for a select group of officers who volunteer after acquiring sufficient operational experience.
Research limitations/implications –Priorities should centre on measuring the effectiveness of mental
health training packages and discerning the active elements associated with changes in police skills and
confidence, as well as identifying elements that support improved outcomes for people who experience
mental illness and who have contact with the police.
Practical implications –Police need to continue to need to seek legitimacy with respect to their
guardianship role as mental health interventionists. Training should tap into practice-based wisdom. Training
should be practical, applied and reinforced through wider knowledge-based learning and workplace
reinforcement. Training is needed for everyone, but specialised training is not for all. Police need to focus on
the partnerships and expend time, energy and resources to maintain and grow them. Specialist (and other
forms of) training needs to be evaluated so we understand what works?
Originality/value –There may be opportunities to streamline the delivery of knowledge-based aspects of
mental health training and focus much more on experiential learning, both in specialised training courses as
well as shorter mental health awareness sessions.
Keywords Policing, Mental health/disorders, Evidence-based practice, Training/professionalization, CIT,
Psychiatric crisis
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Robust epidemiological data arising from significant studies in Australia, New Zealand and the USA
indicates that mental disorders are experienced by a significant proportion of the community (see e.g.
Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2015; Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 2016; Moffitt
et al., 2010). Similarly, robust data demonstrates a significant over-representation of all major mental
disorders among prisoners internationally (Fazel and Danesh, 2002) as well as those detained in police
cells (Baksheev et al., 2010; McKinnon and Grubin, 2013). Taking these figures together, it should not
be a surprise to learn that police officers come into contact with persons living with mental illnesses on
a regular basis (e.g. Godfredson et al., 2011). While these contacts are known to cover a wide range
Received 30 January 2017
Revised 8 March 2017
Accepted 8 March 2017
Stuart Thomas is a Professor at
the School of Global, Urban
and Social Studies, RMIT
University, Melbourne,
Australia.
Amy Watson is a Professor at
the Jane Addams College of
Social Work, University of
Illinois at Chicago, Chicago,
Illinois, USA.
DOI 10.1108/JCRPP-01-2017-0005VOL. 3 NO. 2 2017, pp.93-104, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2056-3841
j
JOURNAL OFCRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH, POLICY ANDPRACTICE
j
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