Police helped with mental health calls

Kent Police has become the first force in the country to put specially trained mental health support staff into its control room.

The joint project between the force and MIND, the mental health charity, aims to support people with mental health crises.

Volunteers from Maidstone and Mid-kent MIND help take calls from people in need on Tuesdays and Saturdays between 4pm and midnight at the Maidstone headquarters’ control room.

Officers are sent to the person if they are threatening to cause harm to themselves or someone else, and a volunteer remains on the phone to them while police are despatched.

Insp Wayne Goodwin, the force’s mental health liaison officer, said: “Mental health is not a crime and, although our officers receive training around mental health in the same way they receive first aid training for physical issues, they are not medical experts.

“Indications already show several patrols have been diverted from attending some mental health calls as a result of the intervention by MIND staff.”

Matthew Scott, Kent’s police and crime commissioner, who has put mental health on his list of priorities during his term, said: “This project helps ensure people in crisis get the right help they need when they call the police – and it can free up officers’ time.”