Mental health ‘a factor in half of arrests in West Yorkshire’

MENTAL HEALTH is a factor in almost half of all arrests made by West Yorkshire Police, figures show.

Of the near-49,000 arrests made last year, 43 per cent involved people with a mental health condition – a slight increase from the 40 per cent of arrests involving a mental health factor in 2015.

In Leeds alone, specialist nurses helped police with about 5,000 incidents between December 2016 and December 2017.

Since new legislation was brought in at the end of last year, officers must consult with a qualified medic before detaining someone under the Mental Health Act.

Children detained under the Act cannot now be kept in a police cell and adults can only stay in a cell in “exceptional circumstances”.

The figures went before the Police and Crime Commissioner Panel on Friday.

Speaking after the meeting, panel vice chair Coun Steve Tulley said he felt officers were “going in the right direction” on mental health.

He said: “I think the police have made great strides in this area. It’s been hard work but we’ve come a long way from the days of people with mental problems being immediately taken to the cells.

“It’s important to make sure mental health issues are taken into account when the police are making arrests and that the right people are taking care of them.”