Source: Radio New Zealand
The PSA is concerned changes to the response have left staff more vulnerable to violence. RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Police failed to respond to emergency calls from mental health workers who were allegedly assaulted by a patient, according to a complaint laid by the Public Service Association (PSA).
The union has complained to the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA), saying despite assurances police would respond to immediate risks to life or safety, assistance never arrived.
The PSA also wants a wider review into police procedures around mental health callouts, concerned that changes to the response have left staff more vulnerable to violence.
According to the PSA’s complaint, on 21 November three emergency calls by a mental health worker went unanswered in the space of 90 minutes.
PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said union members were concerned changes to the Police Mental Health Change Response programme had set a precedent where police were “wiping their hands” of mental health-related callouts.
Police have been phasing in changes to how they respond to mental health-related callouts, including spending less time at patient handovers, and higher thresholds for whether police assistance was required at non-emergency requests.
A PSA survey of mental health staff showed 91 percent of workers thought the changes would increase safety risks.
“All of this was preventable. Mental health workers told Health New Zealand, the Police, and the government that the consequences of Police withdrawing would be significant. We need the Police to revisit this decision urgently, or the results will be tragic,” Fitzsimons said.
Auckland City West area commander Inspector Jacqui Whittaker said police were limited in further comment given a complaint had been made, but would work with the IPCA should it require any further information.
She said when police were contacted about the reported assault, the victims had moved away from the address out of immediate danger, and the offender had left the area.
“Based on this information, a unit wasn’t immediately dispatched, however follow up enquiries commenced at the time,” she said.
Police subsequently located and charged a 35-year-old man with two counts of assault on 29 November.
“Police will always respond to any report of offending taking place where is an immediate risk to life or safety,” Whittaker said.
In 2024, police started to phase in changes to how officers responded to mental health-related callouts.
Police began cutting back how long officers would spend at emergency departments handing a person over to health workers.
New guidelines were brought in on when officers would transport a patient to hospital, and when they would attend mental health facility call-outs.
The changes were designed to lead to an increased health-led response, freeing up Police for other duties.
At the time, then-Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said mental health demand accounted for 11 percent of calls to the Emergency Communications Centre, and it was impacting on police’s ability to deliver core services.
It meant in the year to June 2025, police attended 7370 fewer mental health-related requests.
Since November, non-emergency mental health-related requests have been assessed against updated guidance, to determine if Police assistance is required.
This includes requests for assistance under legislation, requests for assistance in inpatient mental health units, and other requests from mental health services to police.
A fourth and final phase – still to be introduced – will see police handing over to health staff and departing within 15 minutes, unless there is an immediate safety risk.
Police will also consider their response to welfare checks, when there is no risk to criminality, or to life or safety.
Fitzsimons said prior to the changes, mental health workers had a direct line to police for emergency situations, and were able to request assistance ahead of time for transporting patients in crisis or those known to become aggressive.
“We’re deeply concerned that mental health workers are unable to access police support when they need it. They deal with difficult situations with hostile and aggressive mental health patients, and they need police support when they deem it necessary,” Fitzsimons said.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said the government had been clear that police were not mental health workers, and the managed transition meant people who needed a health response rather than a law response would receive that.
“The transition is being managed with extreme care, with patient and staff safety a top priority. Police have been clear that they will always respond when there is an offence or an immediate risk to life or safety,” Mitchell said.
“It has been good to see the work done across government agencies to ensure the correct response and support is provided. It’s not a perfect world and a challenging area but great work is being done by both health and police.”
But Fitzsimons said the experience showed police were not responding to an urgent situation.
“That’s why we need the Independent Police Conduct Authority to investigate. And that’s why we’re calling on police to overturn the change in policy.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
