Police Safety and Mental Health: Protecting Officers, Suspects, and Citizens

The Rising Challenge of Mental Health in Policing

Law enforcement officers are increasingly on the front lines of America’s mental health crisis. Calls involving individuals experiencing mental illness, emotional distress, or substance-induced crises now make up a significant portion of police work.

• The Treatment Advocacy Center estimates that people with untreated severe mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed during a police encounter (TAC).

• The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 44% of jail inmates and 37% of prison inmates have a diagnosed mental health condition (BJS).

• Police officers spend up to 21% of their time responding to or handling mental health-related incidents (NAMI).

These numbers highlight a stark reality: policing and mental health are deeply intertwined, and officer safety depends on handling these encounters with skill, compassion, and the right tools.

The Safety Risks Officers Face

Interacting with citizens in crisis presents unique challenges:

• Unpredictable behavior: A person in mental distress may not respond to commands or may escalate suddenly.

• Increased risk of assault: Studies show individuals with untreated serious mental illness are disproportionately involved in violent confrontations with police—not because of criminal intent, but because of crisis behavior.

• Liability and tragedy: High-profile deaths involving citizens in mental health crises often result in multimillion-dollar lawsuits, damaged community trust, and significant officer trauma.

In 2020, nearly 1 in 4 people shot and killed by police were experiencing a mental health crisis (Washington Post Fatal Force Database).

The Community’s Expectations vs. the Reality

Communities expect police officers to respond when someone in mental crisis becomes a danger to themselves or others. Families often call 911 as a last resort, trusting that officers will arrive and “make things safe.”

But this expectation comes with three challenges:

1. Limited Information - Officers often arrive with almost no background—dispatch may only have a caller’s description of erratic behavior, with no medical or psychiatric history available.

2. Limited Time - Encounters with people in crisis unfold quickly. An officer may have only seconds to make a decision that could mean life or death. Unlike clinicians, police don’t have hours in a controlled setting to evaluate and treat.

3. High Expectations, Harsh Judgment - The public is shocked when outcomes are tragic, yet often unaware of the split-second decisions and risks officers face. Officers are asked to be social workers, medical professionals, and guardians—all while keeping themselves and the public safe.

This gap between community expectation and the harsh reality of crisis encounters creates tension and erodes trust when incidents end poorly.

How Police Can Reduce Risk in Mental Health Interactions

1. Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) - CIT programs train officers to de-escalate encounters, recognize signs of mental illness, and connect individuals to resources. Agencies with CIT programs report up to a 23% reduction in arrests of individuals with mental illness (RAND).

2. Partnerships with Mental Health Professionals - Co-responder models—where mental health clinicians ride with or respond alongside officers—help reduce use of force and improve outcomes. Cities using this model see fewer hospitalizations and arrests, while officers report feeling safer.

3. Improved Restraint & Transport Systems - Safely transporting citizens in crisis is critical. Standard seatbelts often fail to contain individuals in distress, leading to injury, escape attempts, or escalation inside the vehicle. Tools like the Valkyrie Link provide a humane, secure way to stabilize suspects or citizens during transport without expensive cages or full-body wrap systems. At under $200 per unit, it offers a cost-effective way to reduce risk, liability, and injury for everyone involved.

4. Community-Based Prevention - The more access people have to early mental health treatment, the less likely officers will need to respond in the first place. Supporting local mental health services is a long-term safety strategy.

The Benefits of Proactive Change

When police departments adopt mental health-centered safety practices, everyone wins:

• Officers face fewer assaults, injuries, and lawsuits.

• Citizens in crisis are treated with dignity and stabilized more safely.

• Communities build trust and confidence in their local law enforcement.

• Departments save money by reducing liability costs and expensive hospitalizations.

By embracing new approaches, agencies can narrow the gap between what communities expect and the reality officers face in the field.

A police car with flashing blue and red lights in a city environment, signaling an urgent situation or response.

Conclusion

Law enforcement will continue to be a first point of contact for citizens experiencing mental health crises. But the data show that current approaches often place officers and suspects alike at unacceptable risk. Communities expect officers to step into dangerous situations with limited time and knowledge, and are shocked when tragedies occur.

By combining training, partnerships, and modern tools like the Valkyrie Link suspect restraint system, agencies can reduce injury, liability, and tragedy. Officer safety and citizen mental health are not separate issues—they are two sides of the same coin. Protecting one means protecting both.

Heimdall Equipment: The Shield Between Order and Chaos.