Creating emergency mental health service would free up police officers to catch criminals
About a fifth of the incidents dealt with by Police Scotland relate to mental health and each one can potentially occupy two officers for a full shift
If you see a stranger in mental distress placing themselves in danger, who do you call? For many years, for many people, the answer has been the police.
But according to a 2023 report by the police watchdog, the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland, a single mental health-related call can engage two officers and a vehicle for a full shift.
And with mental health incidents now accounting for almost a fifth of Police Scotland’s total, that is a lot of officers who cannot quickly respond to burglaries, domestic violence and other crimes happening that day.
An incredible asset
Of course, a mental health crisis is an emergency, and it’s right that anyone concerned gets immediate help. The question is whether the police are the right emergency service to come to their aid.
Our police are an incredible asset, combining street-by-street knowledge with an ability to respond quickly to everything from drunken brawls to serious gun violence. We rely on them to track down murderers, smash drugs gangs and arrest criminals. But if you were in the middle of a mental health crisis, is a uniformed police officer with handcuffs and a baton the first person you would want to see?
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The same report described people struggling with their mental health being arrested at home and hauled out in handcuffs in front of their neighbours.
The status quo leaves people experiencing mental health crises feeling like criminals while the real criminals feel like they can run the streets.
Tried successfully elsewhere
That’s why a Scottish Labour government will create a dedicated Mental Health Emergency Response Service, staffed by specially trained paramedics, nurses and mental health professionals responding directly to 999 calls.
These teams will deliver immediate support, specialist triage and safe transfer to the right place for ongoing care. This new service builds on successful models in places such as Sweden, Amsterdam, and parts of England, where specialist mental health response teams have improved outcomes for patients, prevented unnecessary A&E transfers and significantly reduced reliance on police support.
We will also combine NHS 24 and the Scottish Ambulance Service into a single emergency response and advice service, ensuring seamless 24/7 care for people in crisis. And we will improve mental health training for A&E clinicians and expand the availability of psychiatric liaison nurses to deliver round-the-clock triage in emergency settings.
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Crime prevention
But we will also restore community policing. We will deliver a named community and crime prevention police officer in every council ward across Scotland.
Alongside their colleagues, these officers will work with local councillors to identify opportunities to reduce crime and respond to local incidents.
We will also restore the specific role of crime prevention officers, ensuring that community policing teams have resources dedicated to working directly with schools, retailers, and community groups to advise on how to avoid or reduce offending in high-crime areas.
In other words, give the police a chance to do the job they are trained to do and ensure those experiencing mental health crises get the treatment they need. That way, the streets are safer for everyone.
Jackie Baillie is MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader and her party’s spokesperson for health
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