INDIANAPOLIS — Ten officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) are testing a new tool designed to help identify those who may be suffering from mental illness. The development of the tool is the result of a partnership between the IMPD, the Indianapolis Office of Public Health and Safety (OPHS), and NYU’s Criminal Justice Innovation Lab. The tool is the first of its kind to be developed specifically for use by law enforcement officers in the field.
The purpose of the tool is to provide officers with evidence-based, objective information to assist them in determining the best course for resolving a call for assistance from the public. The aim is to create a new “offramp” from the criminal justice system — another opportunity for those suffering from mental illness to be diverted to treatment and care, rather than jail. The tool will be Web-based, with the ability to access it from both a mobile phone or laptop.
The ten officers currently testing the tool are part of Phase One of the testing process. The officers will evaluate the effectiveness of the tool’s process, aspects such as how easy the tool is to use and whether the questions are clear. Phase One is expected to last through January 2019. Phase Two testing will analyze whether the results of the screenings correlate with what deeper assessments find.