"The law enforcement field is not equipped, nor should it ever be the first responder to a mental health crisis." Communities have experimented with adding both police and mental health specialists as the first line of response. Henrico police say they respond to an average of about 2,800 mental health calls a year. If there are better ways to respond to mental health crises, including adding mental health personnel to the responding teams, Henrico County Police Lt. Col. Linda Toney says the department is "all on board for learning." There's no simple answer to who should be the first line of response when there's a call for a mental health crisis.

Source: CNN October 10, 2020 09:00 UTC