Vancouver Police Mental Health Strategy: A comprehensive approach for a proportional police response to persons living with mental illness.

This strategy will serve as an overarching approach for the VPD. It is intended to account for the significant impact that can result from people living with mental illness coming into contact with the police, and set forth a framework on how the VPD models its interaction with this segment of the population. That is not to say that mental illness is a causal factor in violent crime Ñ rather, people living with mental illness are more likely to be a victim of crime than the perpetrator. This Mental Health Strategy is framed around the core values of the VPD, and the principles of justification, proportionality, and intrusiveness. It is designed to provide clear and concise information about the VPDÕs position and intent, and to serve as a framework to support operational deployment, organizational partnerships, education and training initiatives, and a commitment to the community relative to its interactions with persons living with mental illness.

Contact us for a copy of this article, or view online at http://vancouver.ca/police/assets/pdf/reports-policies/mental-health-strategy.pdf