ABSTRACT
Two aspects of mental health in relation to policing are considered in this chapter: first, how policing, as a practice, can cause mental health issues for officers, and second, how police respond to those designated mentally ill. On the one hand, policing is deemed a highly stressful occupation due to multiple factors. Police experience, at a greater rate than the average Australian population, mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). On the other hand, police encounter mentally ill persons quite frequently, often in crisis situations. Police officers have traditionally lacked sufficient mental health training to manage the risks associated with mentally ill person encounters, although improvements in this area are occurring. While these two issues surrounding policing and mental health have traditionally been considered separately, the chapter concludes by arguing for an integrated approach.
