Every Hawkesbury police officer will receive specialised training this year to equip them to deal more effectively with people with mental illnesses.
Front-line officers will undergo one-day training courses which aim to better their understanding and communication with such people to reduce their distress in a non-violent way.
Hawkesbury police respond to an average of one mental health incident a day, with 79 this year so far.
Last year, there were just under 400 mental-health-related incidents in the region including those attempting self-harm, suicide and siege-type incidents.
Mental health contact officer Peter Jenkins said incidents like these were very close to the hearts of police after the death of Detective Inspector Bryson Anderson.
Detective Inspector Anderson was killed by Mitchell Barbieri during a siege at the Oakville home he shared with his mother Fiona on December 6, 2012.
‘‘Police encounter people with mental illnesses every day, whether they are victims, witnesses or perpetrators,’’ Inspector Jenkins said.
‘‘We aren’t mental health professionals, we are police officers but these courses will help us understand what a person is thinking or going to do.
‘‘Most of the situations are fragile so it’s essential to not argue with them and remember the person is likely to be anxious and distressed. Drugs and alcohol make the problem worse so we need to be able to deal with that.’’
Inspector Jenkins said people living with a mental illness lived challenging lives and should be treated with respect where possible.
He said the saddest thing was seeing the scars on repeat self harm offenders, people who obviously needed help.
‘‘When people threaten to self harm or harm others, we need to understand their situation but also use our tactical skills to diffuse it calmly.’’
The course includes: understanding the signs and symptoms, meeting and speaking to people with mental illness, learning de-escalation techniques and engaging in role playing scenarios.
Learning how to transport a patient and what medication they may need are also covered.
The course is a first of its kind in Australia and new police officers graduating from the academy in Goulburn will have the compulsory training.