An Exploratory Study of Pennsylvania Police Officers’ Perceptions of Dangerousness and Their Ability to Manage Persons with Mental Illness

Abstract

U.S. police agencies have been given the obligation of responding to calls for service involving persons with mental illness. However, they have not been given the education and training necessary to manage this responsibility. Moreover, departments lack written policies and procedures for management of persons with mental illness. The lack of education, training, policies, and procedures has a tendency to cause line officers to respond improperly. Instead of approaching the call as a person with an illness, oftentimes police officers will approach as though the patient is a dangerous felon. Such perceptions have a tendency to lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy when injury or death may occur to the patient, police officers, or both. This article summarizes self-report surveys of a cross-section of Pennsylvania police departments regarding perceptions of dangerousness, injuries to police and patient, policies and procedures, and belief in their ability to manage persons with mental illness.