Federation Secretary: Police must not be used to plug the gaps of an underfunded mental health service

6 September 2021

Officers are being used to plug the gaps in underfunded mental health services, the Police Federation of England and Wales said this month, after it emerged that 4,500 people in mental health crisis were unlawfully held in police custody in England and Wales in 2018.

Rob Grunner, Humberside Police Federation Secretary, said: “It has long been recognised now that people suffering from a mental health crisis are ill and therefore need a health response rather than a police response. Clearly if the person is violent whilst unwell, police have a role to play in ensuring that the subject and the public are kept safe. However once this has taken place it is imperative that health services take over and provide the necessary aftercare and ongoing treatment.

“Arresting and placing the unwell person in a cell is inappropriate and not in the best interest of them. We understand the pressures that the health service are under and the amazing work that they have done during the pandemic. However all public sector organisations face serious pressures to balance their demands and policing is no different. We must ensure that the right people deal with the matter at the right time.”

Rob called for better funding for the health service, to take the pressure off the police.

He added: “Policing has long been seen by the public as the first and last call and the group who will always come and cannot say no. Sadly it seems that the same does not apply to colleagues in the health sector. Our view is that Government must fund them better to enable them to adequately fulfil their role and ensure that they are dealing with the matters they should be.”