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Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2017/11/28, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Monica Police Department Crisis Intervention Incidents - 1 Santa Monica Police Department Santa Monica Police Department Policy Manual Crisis Intervention Incidents 431.1 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 and violence. It often requires a sworn officer to make difficult judgments about a person’s mental state and intent in order to effectively and legally interact with the individual. 431.1.1 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 by any number of things, including an increase in the symptoms of mental illness despite treatment compliance; non -compliance with treatment, including a failure to take prescribed medications appropriately; 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. 431.2 POLICY The Santa Monica 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 an overall intervention strategy to guide its members’ interactions with those experiencing a mental health crisis. This is to ensure equitable and safe treatment of all involved. 431.3 SIGNS Members should be alert to any of the following possible signs of mental health issu es 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 Policy 431 Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2017/11/28, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Monica Police Department Crisis Intervention Incidents - 2 Santa Monica Police Department Santa Monica Police Department Policy Manual Crisis Intervention Incidents Members 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. 431.4 COORDINATION WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS The Chief of Police should designate an appropriate Division Commander to collaborate with mental health professionals to develo p an education and response protocol. It should include a list of community resources, to guide Department interaction with those who may be suffering from mental illness or who appear to be in a mental health crisis. 431.5 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 a mental health crisis. These individuals may still present a serious threat to officers; such a threat should be addressed with reasonable tactics. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to limit a sworn officer’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. A sworn 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 pe rson is in a crisis situation, use conflict resolution 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 a re 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 the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) to determine whether 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 th e 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. (j) Evaluate any available information that might assist in determining cause or motivation for the person’s actions or stated intentions. Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2017