Fewer Police Shootings, Thanks to More Mental Health Help

Across the United States, police shootings have declined as behavioral health experts step in to better serve the public and curb avoidable fatal confrontations with police officers.

“I’m just super proud that our agency has taken the first step to be one of the leading agencies to look at an alternative response to police for individuals in a mental health crisis,” says Capt. Lovetta Quinn-Henry who oversees the Orlando Police Department’s (OPD) Community Response Team program in Florida.

There have been 133 fewer fatal police shootings nationwide in 2021. The numbers went from 1,021 in 2020 to 888 in 2021, a 13% decrease. In 2015, more than 20% of casualties were people in distress, and since then, behavioral health experts have been sent instead of law enforcement officers to address community concerns. This is one of the changes the OPD has made as part of its program. Since its inception in March 2021, the program has answered 827 calls, assisted 815 people, of which 300 gained access to mental health treatment. This kind of model is also in place in states such as Oregon, Colorado, and Washington.