Police not trained for distress calls

Dear Editor:

We thank nursing student Mona Wang from UBC-O for sharing publicly her horrific encounter with the RCMP. We note she has the values, integrity, and courage needed to become a nurse, and are certain she will become a magnificent RN once completing her BScN degree.

Ms. Wang suffered indignities and pain as she was dragged down the hallway of her apartment building by an RCMP officer while experiencing mental-health distress.

Ms. Wang’s devastating experience shows once again that police are not trained to help people with mental-health challenges. Lacking in most encounters between police and people experiencing mental-health distress is the expertise in de-escalation and the basics of respect, protection of dignity and kindness. Instead, we see the use of excessive power and raw brutality.

This must stop!

Registered Nurses’ Association of

Ontario urges a defunding of police and the funding of mental-health teams as first responders to wellness checks. Police are not trained in crisis care and should not be expected to lead this critical work.

Successful models include health professionals trained in mental health, including nurses. They have the knowledge and skills and can de-escalate situations and offer the support and understanding people desperately need. In cases where there is concern about safety, police can serve as support to the mental-health team, but should never be a front-line responder in such a situation.

There is a long list of Canadians who have been mistreated, died or killed at the hands of police when they were in distress and officers were called to the scene for wellness checks. These individuals needed help and their families were left horrified asking what happened to their loved ones.

Our logic as a society is faulty. Nobody would expect the police to respond when a person is suffering from a heart attack.

Why do we think that the police serve as the appropriate first responder for a mental-health event?

If we want to build a society that respects everyone and respects people’s mental health and well-being, we need a fundamental re-think on how we handle people who are in crisis.

We also need to make the necessary investments to ensure people get the support they need. Take the money out of police budgets and build the teams of health professionals that are qualified to take on this role — and deploy them as first responders. Dr. Doris Grinspun, RN, CEO, Registered Nurses’ Association

of Ontario