Spotlight on police's mental health pilot

Nashville police want to expand a pilot program pairing on some calls officers with mental health experts, a program officials at a meeting yesterday discussing early results praised as a game-changer.

• "Having the clinicians in the field with us is invaluable," Lt. Anthony Brooks said. "When we have the clinician in the field it gives us a brand new set of facts that we didn’t have before."
• Brooks said the professionals have referred people to services in cases that might have otherwise resulted in an arrest.

Why it matters: Police responses to mental health crises are under intense scrutiny after nine officers fatally shot a man on Interstate 65 last week. Several Metro Council members called to expand the mental health pilot after the shooting.

• "Certainly last week's tragic incident demonstrates the importance of this work," Dia Cirillo, senior policy advisor in Mayor John Cooper's office, said during the meeting.

Driving the news: City officials plan to use call data to begin expanding the program from two to four precincts in the coming months.

• The model could be deployed in the downtown precinct by May.
• Officials expect it will take another two years to expand the program to all precincts.

By the numbers: Mental health workers have responded alongside police on 821 calls since the pilot launched in the Hermitage and North precincts in June 2021.

• Only 4% of the 279 calls logged from Sept. 29-Dec. 28 resulted in arrests, according to city data.
• Other calls resulted in referrals to community services, medical care, or other support.

Context: Counselors are only allowed to participate when there is no perceived physical threat.

What they're saying: "We're really pleased with what we've done so far," said Inspector David Imhof, who leads the department's Office of Alternative Policing Strategies. "We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we know we have a lot of officers to train."

What they're saying: "We're really pleased with what we've done so far," said Inspector David Imhof, who leads the department's Office of Alternative Policing Strategies. "We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we know we have a lot of officers to train."

• Precincts that aren't yet participating in the program will still get added training and will have access to mental health consults, Imhof said.

What to watch: Only six mental health clinicians with the Mental Health Cooperative are currently working on the police pilot program. Growing that group will be an essential part of the program moving forward.

• "There is an acute behavioral health workforce shortage," Cirillo tells Axios. "That's a challenge."