17 MPD Lexipol Policy_Crisis Intervention Incidents

Policy 417Milpitas Police Department Milpitas PD CA Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2020/11/24, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Milpitas Police DepartmentCrisis Intervention Incidents - 292Crisis Intervention Incidents 417.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This policy provides guidelines for interacting with those who may be experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis. Interaction with such individuals has the potential for miscommunication andviolence. It often requires an officer to make difficult judgments about a person’s mental state andintent in order to effectively and legally interact with the individual. 417.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: Person in crisis - A person whose level of distress or mental health symptoms have exceeded the person’s internal ability to manage his/her behavior or emotions. A crisis can be precipitated byany number of things, including an increase in the symptoms of mental illness despite treatmentcompliance; non-compliance with treatment, including a failure to take prescribed medicationsappropriately; or any other circumstance or event that causes the person to engage in erratic,disruptive or dangerous behavior that may be accompanied by impaired judgment. 417.2 POLICY The Milpitas Police Department is committed to providing a consistently high level of service to all members of the community and recognizes that persons in crisis may benefit from intervention.The Department will collaborate, where feasible, with mental health professionals to develop anoverall intervention strategy to guide its members’ interactions with those experiencing a mentalhealth crisis. This is to ensure equitable and safe treatment of all involved. 417.3 SIGNS Members should be alert to any of the following possible signs of mental health issues or crises: (a) A known history of mental illness (b) Threats of or attempted suicide(c) Loss of memory(d) Incoherence, disorientation or slow response(e) Delusions, hallucinations, perceptions unrelated to reality or grandiose ideas(f) Depression, pronounced feelings of hopelessness or uselessness, extreme sadness or guilt (g) Social withdrawal(h) Manic or impulsive behavior, extreme agitation, lack of control(i) Lack of fear(j) Anxiety, aggression, rigidity, inflexibility or paranoia Milpitas Police Department Milpitas PD CA Policy Manual Crisis Intervention Incidents Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2020/11/24, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Milpitas Police DepartmentCrisis Intervention Incidents - 293Members should be aware that this list is not exhaustive. The presence or absence of any of these should not be treated as proof of the presence or absence of a mental health issue or crisis. 417.4 COORDINATION WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS When feasible, officers should consider collaborating with county mental health professionals, or other community resources when interacting with those who may be suffering from mental illnessor who appear to be in a mental health crisis. Resources may include but are not limited to theLaw Enforcement Liaison from the Santa Clara County Department of Behavioral Health Services,and Uplift Family Services. 417.5 FIRST RESPONDERS Safety is a priority for first responders. It is important to recognize that individuals under the influence of alcohol, drugs or both may exhibit symptoms that are similar to those of a person in amental health crisis. These individuals may still present a serious threat to officers; such a threatshould be addressed with reasonable tactics. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to limit anofficer’s authority to use reasonable force when interacting with a person in crisis. Officers are reminded that mental health issues, mental health crises and unusual behavior alone are not criminal offenses. Individuals may benefit from treatment as opposed to incarceration. An officer responding to a call involving a person in crisis should: (a) Promptly assess the situation independent of reported information and make a preliminary determination regarding whether a mental health crisis may be a factor. (b) Request available backup officers and specialized resources as deemed necessary and, if it is reasonably believed that the person is in a crisis situation, use conflictresolution and de-escalation techniques to stabilize the incident as appropriate. (c) If feasible, and without compromising safety, turn off flashing lights, bright lights or sirens. (d) Attempt to determine if weapons are present or available. 1. Prior to making contact, and whenever possible and reasonable, conduct a search of the Department of Justice Automated Firearms System via theCalifornia Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) to determinewhether the person is the registered owner of a firearm (Penal Code § 11106.4). (e) Take into account the person’s mental and emotional state and potential inability to understand commands or to appreciate the consequences of his/her action or inaction,as perceived by the officer. (f) Secure the scene and clear the immediate area as necessary.(g) Employ tactics to preserve the safety of all participants.(h) Determine the nature of any crime.(i) Request a supervisor, as warranted. Milpitas Police Department Milpitas PD CA Policy Manual Crisis Intervention Incidents Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2020/11/24, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Milpitas Police DepartmentCrisis Intervention Incidents - 294(j) Evaluate any available information that might assist in determining cause or motivation for the person’s actions or stated intentions. (k) If circumstances reasonably permit, consider and employ alternatives to force. 417.6 DE-ESCALATION Officers should consider that taking no action or passively monitoring the situation may be the most reasonable response to a mental health crisis. Once it is determined that a situation is a mental health crisis and immediate safety concerns have been addressed, responding members