Police recruits being trained how to handle mentally ill patients

By Admin. Updated 7:44 p.m., Tuesday, March 26, 2024, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Police recruits are being trained how to address encounters with the mentally ill.

In a March 26 press release, the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) said that in Partnership with the Mental Health Rehabilitation Center (MHRC), it continues to host De-Escalation training with the Police Recruits.

“This training helps to teach Police Officers skills that can be used when interacting with mentally ill persons,” the RSVGPF said.

“The training teaches officers: The escalation and de-escalation cycle, causes of escalation, imminent danger signs to identify an escalating situation, the 3 A’s of de-escalation (awareness, assessment, and action), and how to positively de-escalate a situation involving mental health patients. Additionally, the training covers general mental health information to acquaint officers with signs and symptoms that may show declining mental health. Community Mental Health and MHRC Admission Policy were also covered in the session,” the RSVGPF said.

“The training was inclusive of live scenarios which are displayed in the photographs attached. The training also encourages police officers to take proactive steps toward taking care of their mental health while working in a high-stress environment,” the release stated. 

“The training was conducted on Monday 18th March 2024 by: Dr. Michael Stowe (Medical Officer), Mr. Keron Knights (Staff Nurse – Community Mental Health), Ms. Ellica Matthews and Mrs Anya Abbott (Counsellors), and Mrs. Shunnell Nedd-Noel (Psychiatric Social Worker),” police said.