s edwards. The problem statement

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Background

The Impact of Co-Responder Mental Health Crisis Teams on Arrest Rates, Use of Force, and Community Trust in Law Enforcement

Shaquanna Edwards

Liberty University

July 5, 2026

Background

The Impact of Co-Responder Mental Health Crisis Teams on Arrest Rates, Use of Force, and Community Trust in Law Enforcement

The issue of behavioral health emergencies has become more relevant for law enforcement, where officers need to attend to cases involving people who suffer from mental conditions, substance abuse disorders, or other emotional problems (Balfour et al., 2022). While the duty of police officers is to ensure security of the public, some of them lack skills to deal with the clinical aspects of a situation (Loureiro et al., 2026). This way, usual policing measures might involve making inappropriate arrests, increase use-of-force, and affect the trust in the agency negatively. In order to solve this problem, co-responder mental health crisis teams that include police officers and mental health specialists are used when responding to calls. Such approach is meant to enhance the de-escalation process, assist people in receiving help and decrease dependence on the criminal justice system as the main measure for behavioral health emergencies. However, despite of the increasing use of such programs, there is still insufficient data about its effects on law enforcement organizations.

In my research, the focus will be on exploring the correlation between co-responder mental health crisis teams and the following key indicators: the arrest rate, use of force instances, and community trust in law enforcement agencies. I chose this particular subject because it is important to have efficient solutions to behavioral health crisis situations that can significantly affect public safety, accountability of law enforcement officers, and the well-being of people who experience mental health crises. Results of my investigation can be helpful for law enforcement officers and decision-makers as well as local governments when they consider developing co-responder programs. My research can contribute to the existing body of knowledge related to evidence-based policing practices.

References

Balfour, M. E., Hahn Stephenson, A., Delany-Brumsey, A., Winsky, J., & Goldman, M. L. (2022). Cops, clinicians, or both? Collaborative approaches to responding to behavioral health emergencies. Psychiatric services, 73(6), 658-669. https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.ps.202000721

Loureiro, L., Araújo, J., Pedreiro, A. T., & Simões, R. (2026). Mental Health Literacy About Depression in Public Security Police Officers: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study. Psychiatry International, 7(1), 30. https://lawscience.com.ua/web/uploads/pdf/Scientific_Journal_of_NAIA_Vol.29_No.2_2024-67-76.pdf