Agency Information

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:

Boston Police Department

Type of government that operates law enforcement agency:

Municipal

Approximate number of officers in agency:

2,101

Specialized Response Description

Program start year:

2008

Primary specialized response:

Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.

Secondary specialized response:

Mental health professionals partner with law enforcement officers to provide on-scene crisis intervention and referral.

Background information:

In December of 2006, Mayor Tom Menino, Police Commissioner Ed Davis and City officials identified an emerging issue of victimization of the homeless for priority intervention. Problem analysis and best practices research was then completed, which informed the subsequent development of the Homeless Protection Initiative. As a component of this initiative, Commissioner Davis appointed a member of his command staff to be a liaison to the homeless population, and tasked her with coordinating with service providers and advocates, as well as developing and coordinating internal efforts in this area. The findings of a working group convened by Dr. George Kelling led to the creation of the Street Outreach Team, which targets each of these populations and connects them with appropriate services. Street Outreach Team officers work closely with BEST clinicians to ensure that encountered individuals with mental illnesses receive the services they need without involving them in the criminal justice system when possible.

Total number of officers in program:

2

Number of people with mental illness served:

201-500

Catchment area:

Part of the jurisdiction

Funding source(s):

Police Department

Staff supported by funding:

Law Enforcement Officer

Program Partners and Personnel

Existence of planning and oversight committee:

No (please proceed to question 17)

Mental health or advocacy agencies that participate in program:

Boston Medical Center's Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST)

Written agreement of roles and procedures:

No

Recruitment and selection:

Officers are assigned.

Program coordinator/boundary spanner

No

Training on Mental Health Issues

Types of training on mental health issues:

Pre-service training for new recruits at the academy

16

Basic in-service training for all patrol officers

2

Advanced in-service training for select patrol officers

40

Number of officers who receive advanced training:

51-100

Groups who conducts advanced training:

Advanced training topics:

Recognizing symptoms of mental illness, and clinical issues

De-escalation techniques

Less lethal use of force options

Suicide prevention

Response Procedures

Incident documentation by responding officer:

• Record information in a field encounter form, or other form used to document every citizen encounter

Mental health professional available to support police responder:

Yes, remotely by telephone or dispatch (e.g. a crisis worker or psychiatric emergency room personnel)

Access to drop-off locations:

No. (proceed to question 38)

Program Sustainability