Suffolk Police will start to scale back their officers' attendance at mental health calls later this year, but promise to maintain 'protecting and keeping people safe' as their top priority.
Concerns were raised by chief constables and police and crime commissioners earlier this year surrounding mental health demand pressures taking officer time away from fighting crime.
In response, Home Secretary Suella Braverman asked forces to adopt the 'Right Care, Right Person' model by working with local health partners to "safely and effectively" implement the strategy in their areas.
In essence, the policy aims to ensure that concerns for an individual's welfare, including mental health, medical or social care issues, are addressed by the right person with the appropriate skills, training and experience.
The model was trialled by Humberside Police with great success, seeing the force judged 'outstanding' just five years after being ranked as failing.
Now, Chief Constable Rachel Kearton and Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore (SPCC) have informed local health partners that they intend to implement the strategy in Suffolk.
Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Eamonn Bridger confirmed that a phased programme of the 'Right Care, Right Person' strategy would be introduced to the county "later this year".
He added that "all too often, police officers are left, as the service of last resort, looking after people with mental health or social care needs."
Mr Passmore pointed to a significant increase in the number of mental health calls Suffolk Constabulary has received in recent years.
He added: "Our officers are well-trained to deal with a variety of situations but they are not equipped with the skills, knowledge or training to provide the best and most effective response to a member of the public in mental health crisis.
"The most important thing is that anyone in mental health crisis receives the most appropriate care possible and that will not, and should not, be from the police."
While echoing Mr Passmore's sentiments, ACC Bridger emphasised that "protecting and keeping people safe is our top priority and we do everything in our power to keep people safe from danger."
He added: "To be clear, we will continue to protect the public where the risks presented need a policing attendance."
Suffolk Constabulary is currently working to identify gaps in their services across the county to ensure the 'Right Care, Right Person' model can work effectively when introduced later this year.
ACC Bridger said that any police time saved by implementing the strategy will be used to focus on crime and anti-social behaviour in Suffolk communities.
A similar move was announced by the Metropolitan Police earlier this week, by which the force's commissioner wrote to health and social care services to say police would no longer attend after August 31 unless there is a threat to life.
Chairman of NHS mental health services in Norfolk and Suffolk Zoe Billingham slammed the planned changes for London as "potentially alarming," drawing on her knowledge as a former Inspector of Constabulary.
“I think it would be really, really dangerous if the police were just to unilaterally withdraw from attending mental health crisis calls right now,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“I don’t think that that’s what’s on the table, but we need to be careful how this plays out to members of the public because of course come the end of August, if your loved one is in mental health crisis, there’s going to be a terrible quandary.
“You’re going to be worried about calling 999 but on the other hand, they will be simply no one else that you can call, because the infrastructure won’t be in place.”
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