From crisis to care: Enhancing police responses to critical incidents involving persons with mental illness

This study explores the nature of critical police incidents involving People with Mental Illness (PMI) that result in fatalities. The current study draws from Routine Activity Theory (RAT) to identify key characteristics of the PMI, officer, and place. The study examined all fatal police interactions involving PMIs in Queensland, Australia, over a 13-year period. A total of 32 cases were analysed to examine differences between two main groups: self-directed crises and externally directed crises. The results revealed both commonalities and key differences between the two groups. These findings are discussed within the context of controllers and super controllers, identifying key interventions of Crisis Supporters for PMIs, Response Aides for officers, and Environmental Facilitators for the location, as well as super controllers in terms of Support Frameworks. These findings provide insights for developing practical prevention strategies that can be implemented by police agencies, mental health services, and policymakers to reduce fatal outcomes in police–PMI interactions.