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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

With Behavioral Health Unit, authorities recorded zero uses of force beyond handcuffing in November

Authorities saw an increase in calls to assist people in mental health crisis in November.

With the Behavioral Health Unit, they recorded zero uses of force outside handcuffing and authorities arrested fewer than 0.5% percent of all people contacted in crisis, according to a Spokane Police Department news release.

Officers from the Spokane Police Department and deputies from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Spokane Valley Police Department deploy with clinicians from Frontier Behavioral Health in response to some 911 calls, the release said.

In November, the teams of clinicians and officers, called the Behavioral Health Unit, worked through 151 crisis contacts and relieved patrol officers of 245 calls, according to the news release.

Three quarters of these contacts had an outcome other than jail or hospitalization, the release said.

About 60% of contacts resulted in a referral. Less than 0.5% percent of people in crisis were arrested and in those who were, officers did not use force outside of handcuffing.

In one case, the team responded to a bipolar male who was becoming “very delusional” and threatening family members regularly, the release said.

Police eventually arrested the man on suspicion of making bomb threats, after having gone through two evaluations. Despite repeated instances of making bomb threats in several states, threatening his family and walking intoxicated in the road at night, he appeared healthy during his evaluations, the release said.

After being arrested for making bomb threats, he was evaluated for a third time, this time in the Spokane County Jail. The Behavioral Health Unit coordinated efforts between federal law enforcement agencies and local agencies to make sure mental health personnel had information about his history, according to the release.

Once released from jail, he was transported to a local hospital where he was detained for further evaluation, the release said.