Saint John police release stats that show a steady rise in mental health calls
The Saint John Police Force has released statistics that show the number of mental health calls it receives has been steadily on the rise.
Numbers provided by the police department show that in 2021, officers responded to approximately 1,758 mental health calls, which is up from about 1,629 in 2020.
Both years saw a significant increase from 2011, when the department received 699 calls related to mental health.
“We have seen a significant increase in mental health calls over the last 10 years in Saint John,” says Staff Sgt. Sean Rocca with the Saint John Police Force. “That increase looks to be about 152 per cent within the last decade.”
Mary Ann Campbell is the director of the Centre for Criminal Justice Studies at the University of New Brunswick. She says the numbers provided by police reflect a growing need for better mental health services for those who are in crisis.
Campbell also says that police officers are not trained to handle mental health calls.
“They get some training in de-escalation, some training that helps them use their words and these types of things to help de-escalate a crisis call," says Campbell.
“They do their best. They really do their best to respond to the needs of what’s going on, but they are not mental health professionals.”
Meanwhile, the New Brunswick chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association is advocating for more resources.
“Mental illness is not a crime,” reads a statement from the organization to CTV News. “As we do not have effective crisis care to meet demand, police are the default for our province due to chronic underfunding in mental health.”
The statement goes on to say that although the current government has made progress, there is still a long way to go.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.