New program helps Fairhope police better respond to mental health emergencies
'We get a lot of those calls, and getting them help has not always been easy,' Fairhope police Lt. Shane Nolte said.
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Police are partnering with AltaPoint Health to help equip patrol officers with 24-hour access to resources to use in these types of situations.
On average, the Fairhope Police Department responds to around a dozen mental health related calls every week.
'A lot of our individuals who suffer with a mental illness, a lot of their crimes are misdemeanors, petty crimes, whether it's that they're loitering, whether it's that they're trespassing,' Krista Thronson with AltaPoint Health said. 'The only option that they used to have would be to arrest them.'
But now there's another option. Instead of handling it alone, officers can connect with a mental health expert in real time, right from their patrol car.
'It'll make the response time quicker. It'll keep them from being tied up on scene as long,' Nolte said. 'We would rather get them help if they're having a mental health crisis than put them in jail.'
When officers need to connect with a mental health care provider, it's as easy as pressing a button.
'When they get out on a situation where they need it, they can hit the home button, and it automatically pops up to the screen that's needed,' Nolte said.
'There's a red button for the officer to press for that patient. There's a blue button that also is for first responders that if they're going through something,' Thronson added. 'Basically, they press that red button, and it immediately calls one of the five of us that are on call, and they're able to speak directly to a clinician right then and there.'
The program is already in use, and police said it has the potential to make a real difference, not just for the people they serve but for their own mental health as well.
'We are seeing and the statistics show that more law enforcement officers die by their own gun than in the community,' Thronson said. 'What we are really showing is not only are we there for the community; we're there for them who take care of our community.'
Thronson said other departments have partnered with AltaPoint using this program and have seen great results.
'When the iPad is utilized, only about 3% of these calls end up in someone actually being arrested,' she said. 'As someone who does answer the iPad calls, the average call is about 3 to 5 minutes.'
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'This makes it so much easier for us, quicker for us,' Nolte said. 'When you just have to pick up an iPad, push the home button, and then either select a red or a blue button, I mean, you're talking a matter of minutes versus it could take an hour or more in the past.'
The program launched Wednesday with Fairhope police starting with one iPad per shift. Police said they hope to expand the program soon to give more officers access to this vital tool.
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