One year ago, the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS), in partnership with the Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service (SCIS), announced the Mental Health & Suicide Intervention Call Transfer Protocol to offer an alternative to a police response for low-risk calls centred on mental health.

When a call of personal crisis is received to the SPS Communications, call-takers may assess for criteria suitable to transfer the call to the Mobile Crisis Service (MCS). In each assessment, the call-taker must confirm that:

• the situation is not emergent in nature;
• there is no presence of weapons or any actions which may endanger the caller or members of the public;
• the caller is not reporting self-harm or harm to others;
• no criminal act has been implied or committed;
• the situation does not include indications of a domestic/intimate partner dispute; and
• there is no immediate need for medical attention.

The SPS call-taker requires permission from the caller before they are able to transfer the call; if refused, the call is processed by police.

In its first year, 210 calls were transferred from the SPS to the MCS; reducing the demand on police resources for response to non-criminal concerns.

Deputy Chief Mitch Yuzdepski says that through continued efforts and a shared responsibility to improve community safety, “the call transfer protocol is another example of how the Saskatoon Police Service’s partnership with the Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service serves community members who may be in personal crisis with the appropriate support.”

Rita Field, Executive Director of the Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service, expressed that over the past year, the Mental Health & Suicide Intervention Call Transfer Protocol has exceeded their expectations in meeting an important emergency need in the community.

“This commitment to collaborate on an alternative response involves redirecting specific 911 calls to our skilled, caring, and professional crisis workers to ensure timely assessment, effective crisis resolution, and safety. The positive response from individuals and families has strengthened our resolve to continue with this important partnership as we together examine and reimagine service provision in the area of community safety.”

The Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service - Mobile Crisis Service is a non-profit community-based organization that responds to crisis calls 24/7/365. Crisis workers can respond on the phone, in the community, or from the office to the full range of crises including mental health, suicide prevention, and families in distress. Through valued partnership with the Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service, the Police and Crisis Team (PACT) also pairs a police officer with a mental health professional to provide real-time emergency response to real-time crisis; improving community and personal safety through collaborative and effective crisis intervention.

The Mental Health & Suicide Intervention Call Transfer Protocol remains in effect indefinitely.