Policing mentally ill in S. Idaho proves costly
Monday, August 11, 2008 10:29 AM PDT
POCATELLO (AP) — Police in southern Idaho’s Bannock County estimate they’ll spend more than $70,000 a year transporting mentally ill patients to outside facilities, because the local jail will no longer hold them.
The mental health unit at the Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello often has limited space for new patients, and police officers no longer have the option of placing noncriminal people with mental illnesses in jail if there is no room for them at the local health facility.
Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen ended the longtime practice earlier this month. He said the county could face legal ramifications if officers continued to jail mentally ill people who have not committed crimes. This includes people who attempt suicide or those who might hurt themselves or others if left unsupervised.
‘‘It’s very clear that the intent of the law is not to hold the mentally ill in jail,’’ Nielsen said.
Also, he said, the county jail is not a humane place to hold those suffering from mental problems.
‘‘If the only reason we’re putting a mentally ill individual in jail is because they’re dysfunctional or because of their illness, there’s got to be a better place to treat them, and it’s not my jail,’’ Nielsen said.
But now, police are spending more time moving individuals with mental illnesses to outside facilities — a process that is costly, time consuming and can require two officers.
‘‘I would say a conservative estimate is that three times a week my department has to deal with someone who’s having mental health issues,’’ Nielsen said. ‘‘Three of our four last SWAT calls were for people who were mentally ill.’’
