Police time taken up with mentally ill

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 520, 25 January 1994, Page 1

Police time taken up with mentally ill

Waimarino police don't have a lot of call-outs to deal with mentally ill patients, but when they happen they take a lot of police time and resources. And that concems local police sergeant Bob Evans. He told the Bulletin that Waimarino police are not getting the support from the psychiatric services section of Good Health Wanganui that they need. "We should be there to assist them (Good Health Wanganui psychiatric staff), not handling the situation on our own." He said the police don't have the expertise to handle many mentally ill people and need help from Wanganui. At present Good Health Wanganui staff expected Waimarino Police to find and pick up a patient, assess them, do the paper work and then deliver them to Wanganui. There have been three such call-outs in three weeks. "It takes a lot of time and effort to deal with some of these people. Just getting them to Wanganui takes a driver plus two officers if they need restraining." Mr Evans said this can add up to five hours, assuming everything goes well. Complications could add to that time. With some rosters the

whole shift could be involved. "So long as we have the designated psychiatric staff with their skills and expertise, we are happy to provide the escort. At present they advise us of it (a call-out) and leave us to it. They are supposed to come out and examine the person and prepare the reports." "If they want to put these people back into the community they've got to have the resources here to deal with the problems." Good Health Wanganui psychiatric services representati ve Merle Bradshaw told the Bulletin they had met with the police in Wanganui to discuss the probiem, which is conceming the police in the whole Wanganui area. She said Good Health Wanganui was working on a press release explaining the situation and outlining the future course of action. Senior Sergeant Bob Burns of the Wanganui Police said following that meeting they would be working with Good Health Wanganui on ways to improve the situation. "Perceived procedural problems were resolved (at the meeting) which will ensure smooth and speedy resolution of incidents involving Police and suspected mentally disorded persons," said Mr Burns in a press statement.