Crisis or Crime? Investigating Inconsistent Classification in Behavioral Health Related Calls to Police

• In Event: Policing and Behavioral Health Issues

Abstract

Criminal justice and behavioral health stakeholders have long championed programs
designed to reduce the number of persons arrested and incarcerated for reasons related to
behavioral health disabilities. Efforts to reimagine public safety have focused on non-police
alternatives for responding to calls for service involving persons with mental illness and persons
in crisis. The success of these diversionary programs relies on the proper detection and
classification of crisis-related events by call takers, dispatchers, and police. Unfortunately,
research has shown that behavioral health calls for service are among the most commonly
misclassified calls. Using data from a large east coast police department, the current study
quantifies inconsistencies in behavioral health-related call classifications by dispatchers and
responding officers and investigates individual and incident-level correlates of these
misclassifications. Results illustrate where, when, and in what contexts dispatchers and officers
“disagree” and provide pertinent information to aid in the ongoing improvement of responses to
behavioral health-related calls for service.

Author

• Meghan Kozerra, University of Maryland