Vitale, in Chapter 4, We Called for Help, and They Killed my Son, highlights the gap that exists in the management of persons with mental illness or psychiatric disabilities in policing. The author points out that due to the deterioration of mental health services, the police have been tasked with the enormous task of managing individuals with mental disabilities. The resulting outcome has been a rise in the injury, incarceration, arrest and death of this population as the police are ill-suited to undertake this role. Hence, Vitale suggests several reforms that can help curb the aftermath of police handling persons with mental illness.
Training of police officers on aspects concerning mental health issues such as signs of serious suicidal actions, differences in nature of mental illnesses, available out-patient services and how they can access acute care for patients affected by psychiatric illness. The second reform is the use of crisis intervention teams which focuses on creating special teams within the police force that are experienced in tackling mental health cases. The approach ensures that the clinically appropriate steps are undertaken to aid individuals with mental disorders, such as linking them up with mental health care services. “This model has shown signs of success in cities that have embraced it…” It is the most effective reform as it promotes a less aggressive stance when handling persons with mental health issues.
Vitale also indicates that using outreach police teams in public areas they are likely to be, such as homeless zones, would ensure reduced disorders caused by the mentally ill. The outreach teams would gain trust and build long-term relationships with populations that are at risk of developing mental illnesses and help them accordingly. Lastly is the utilization of diversion programs such as the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program (LEAD), which focuses on officers identifying individuals with low-level criminality and finding the root cause of their behavior. By doing so, they can find individuals who have underlying mental health issues and align them with mental health care.