Ottawa Police Service takes first steps to develop mental health response strategy
Posted Jan 26, 2021 03:06:13 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Ottawa Police Service is looking to improve its mental health response strategy after they heard from delegates on their consultation approach.
On Monday, the OPS board heard from people like Vanessa Fareau, a survivor of domestic abuse, who detailed her dealings with the police and how it impacted her mental health.
“The police needed to be better trained, be more empathetic toward my situation, and not just tell me, ‘Oh, you’re going to go back, just kill yourself, who cares, you just want attention,’” she recalled. “That stuff was traumatic and it still hurts me.”
Police chief Peter Sloly says it was hard to hear, but necessary to understand.
In response, the OPS’ acting deputed chief Marc Ford says they have started to improve the process more effectively to respond to people in crisis.
“It’s something that we have to continue to learn and grow from people like yourself, based upon your living experience as you shared it,” Ford said. “We continue to work with our partners in the community whether it’s support worker shelters or people like yourself so we can do better.”
OPS hopes to start a public consultation in the spring, after they have met with their guiding council to help develop the framework, and assess process recommendations from each respective partner and/or stakeholder.
