Phoenix police and mental health professionals are teaming up to better respond to people suffering from mental disease. According to Police Chief Daniel Garcia, Valley law enforcement gets more than 8,500 mental health-related calls a year.
“We want them to understand what we’re seeing and we want to understand what they are seeing," said Garcia. "From a mental health perspective, when law enforcement is asked to police mental health issues it is imperative that both sides clearly understand each other’s role.”
The creation of the Mental Health Advisory Board comes two months after a Phoenix police officer shot and killed a 50-year-old mentally ill woman. Michelle Cusseaux threatened officers with a hammer when they were trying to transport her to a mental health facility.
“Time is our best friend in relation to mental health issues," Garcia said. "We want to slow things down. The focus is not the arrest. The focus is the individual who we want to provide mental health services to.”
He said the goal is for police and behavioral health officials to work together on a strategy approaching these incidents.
