The new Tayside police chief says she wants to cut down the amount of time her officers spend dealing with mental health issues.
Chief Superintendent Nicola Russell has admitted Police Scotland needs to “get much better” in the way it deploys resources.
That includes reducing the hours officers spend dealing with mental health incidents that may be better suited to other agencies.
It comes after moves by other police forces in the UK to attend fewer mental health crisis calls.
Although Ch Supt Russell is not suggesting the force ignores such calls, she wants to ensure her officers can focus on crime.
‘The police are not the people to deal with that’
Speaking after taking up her role as Tayside’s first female divisional commander, she told The Courier: “Police Scotland deals with high levels of demand around concern for person calls and mental health.
“We will deal with people in crisis, in that real point of crisis.
“If there is an immediate threat to life or there is concern about weapons, of course, the police should be going.
“As an organisation, the bit we need to get much better at is saying once we’ve dealt with that threat – risk and harm – it’s for others, whoever that might be, to support that individual.
“Individuals that are quite clearly having challenges around their mental health – the police are not the people to deal with that.
“Across Tayside, we are really fortunate that we have great support services with the Neuk in Perth and Hope Point in Dundee.
“Our police control rooms also do fantastic work in providing support.”
She added: “Is it right that a police officer spends eight hours sitting at a hospital with someone? No, it’s not.
“Is it right that someone has got a mental health issue and they come into custody? No, it’s not, because that’s not the place for them to be.
“If there is not a crime and they don’t meet a threshold to be detained under the Mental Health Act, it shouldn’t be us.
“Across Police Scotland, we will support people, we’ve got a responsibility to uphold human rights.
Tayside police chief sets out priorities
“But we need to be much better about saying, ‘This is now not a policing matter’.
“There are only issues the police can deal with – our partners can’t deal with a fatal road accident or a drugs warrant.
“We need to get into that space and that requires lots of work with our partners to get there.”
Ch Insp Russell has also set out her priorities for her years ahead in office.
She said: “There are a number of things I want to focus on.
“More specifically, a reduction in violence, dealing with drugs across Tayside and violence against women and girls.
“We also know the impact of acquisitive crimes (house and car break-ins) on our communities.
“While our staff continue to do a really hard job day in and day out, there needs to be a focus on wider staff and officer wellbeing.
“There is lots to do but I know we have the phenomenal staff to serve Tayside.”
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