❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding mental health training for police officers and the number of police incidents involving people with mental illness in 2012 and 2013. The response details the training provided and the number of officers who have received it.
AnsweredQoN 181Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE —
MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING
181. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
Attorney General representing the Minister for Police:
(1) How many
police incidents involved people suffering from mental illness in 2012 and
2013?
(2) What mental
health training is provided to police officers?
(3) How many
currently serving officers have undertaken this training?
(4) Do all
recruits receive mental health training?
MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING
181. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
Attorney General representing the Minister for Police:
(1) How many
police incidents involved people suffering from mental illness in 2012 and
2013?
(2) What mental
health training is provided to police officers?
(3) How many
currently serving officers have undertaken this training?
(4) Do all
recruits receive mental health training?
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the Minister for Police, I thank the honourable
member for some notice of the question.
(1) WA Police
incidents involving mental health were as follows: the number of mental health
escorts in 2012 was 1 626, and in 2013 it was 961. The number of mental health
incidents in 2012 was 1 190, and in 2013 it was 1 745. It should be noted that
the statistics are provisional and subject to revision, and the information is
data extracted from the WA Police CAD system on 11 March 2014.
(2) Mental
health training is delivered to all recruits prior to graduation from the WA
Police Academy. This includes practical scenario training in addition to
established classroom-based learning within the recruit training curriculum.
The training is delivered by representatives from the mental health emergency
response team, police negotiators and the Department of Health. In addition,
legal trainers at the WA Police Academy include specific instruction to
recruits in obtaining confessional evidence, including their dealings with
persons displaying mental or intellectual disability. The training reinforces
the officers' application of voluntariness and fairness tests applied
to obtaining evidence. The operational skills faculty of the academy also
delivers mental health first aid training to all operational police officers on
an annual basis. This module focuses on providing appropriate first aid
assistance to a person experiencing a mental health problem or in a mental
health crisis until qualified professional treatment is received or until the
crisis resolves. Additionally, all officers seeking promotion to the rank of
first-class constable and senior constable must successfully complete a module
relating to the legislative and procedural requirements for detaining and
transporting persons suffering from a mental health issue.
(3) All
front-line operational police officers have received mental health training.
(4) All recruits
receive mental health training.
member for some notice of the question.
(1) WA Police
incidents involving mental health were as follows: the number of mental health
escorts in 2012 was 1 626, and in 2013 it was 961. The number of mental health
incidents in 2012 was 1 190, and in 2013 it was 1 745. It should be noted that
the statistics are provisional and subject to revision, and the information is
data extracted from the WA Police CAD system on 11 March 2014.
(2) Mental
health training is delivered to all recruits prior to graduation from the WA
Police Academy. This includes practical scenario training in addition to
established classroom-based learning within the recruit training curriculum.
The training is delivered by representatives from the mental health emergency
response team, police negotiators and the Department of Health. In addition,
legal trainers at the WA Police Academy include specific instruction to
recruits in obtaining confessional evidence, including their dealings with
persons displaying mental or intellectual disability. The training reinforces
the officers' application of voluntariness and fairness tests applied
to obtaining evidence. The operational skills faculty of the academy also
delivers mental health first aid training to all operational police officers on
an annual basis. This module focuses on providing appropriate first aid
assistance to a person experiencing a mental health problem or in a mental
health crisis until qualified professional treatment is received or until the
crisis resolves. Additionally, all officers seeking promotion to the rank of
first-class constable and senior constable must successfully complete a module
relating to the legislative and procedural requirements for detaining and
transporting persons suffering from a mental health issue.
(3) All
front-line operational police officers have received mental health training.
(4) All recruits
receive mental health training.
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