LAPD Should Shift Mental Health Crisis Response to Specialized Teams

Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia has called for a significant policy change within the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) regarding responses to mental health crises. Mejia’s statement advocates for the department’s Systemwide Mental Assessment Response Teams (SMART) to take the lead in handling mental health-related calls that do not involve weapons, rather than relying on patrol officers.

The Controller’s Office conducted an analysis revealing that patrol officers frequently arrive first at such crisis situations. This practice, Mejia argues, is counterproductive as it places armed officers in charge of incidents that may benefit more from specialized mental health intervention. The assessment is particularly timely, coming years after former LAPD Chief Michel Moore announced a plan to deploy SMART units alongside patrol officers during mental health emergencies.

The SMART teams consist of both armed officers and mental health clinicians from the L.A. County Department of Mental Health. Their primary goal is to de-escalate potentially volatile situations and prevent violence. Nevertheless, Dinah Manning, a senior advisor in the Controller’s Office who led the recent assessment, pointed out that patrol officers retain primary decision-making authority at the scene. Manning emphasized that the current LAPD policy mandates an armed-first response, which can inhibit the effectiveness of mental health professionals.

According to the Controller’s Office, LAPD policies create barriers that impede the SMART units’ ability to intervene effectively. The assessment revealed that between 2017 and 2023, 31% of police shootings in Los Angeles involved individuals perceived to be experiencing mental health crises. Notably, there were incidents where LAPD officers fatally shot individuals with known mental health conditions, such as Takar Smith, who was shot after police attempted to subdue him with a Taser while he was armed with a kitchen knife.

While the former police chief previously suggested that involving SMART units alongside patrol officers could de-escalate crises and mitigate trauma for those in distress, the recent findings highlight that the current structure often limits the SMART units’ role. The assessment concluded that having SMART units as secondary responders restricts their capacity to improve outcomes for individuals in crisis.

Additionally, the analysis pointed out that officers working with SMART teams in 2022 and 2023 were not mandated to undergo further mental health training beyond the LAPD’s standard 36-hour mental health intervention training. Manning noted that this lack of specialized training for SMART officers raises concerns about their preparedness to handle complex mental health situations effectively.

The recommendations from the Controller’s Office stress the need for a comprehensive system to track the impact of SMART units on mental health-related incidents. This data could provide crucial insights into how such interventions can be optimized.

As the conversation around mental health crisis intervention continues, Mejia’s statement reflects a growing recognition of the need to rethink how law enforcement engages with mental health issues. The proposed shift in LAPD policy not only aims to enhance public safety but also to ensure that individuals experiencing mental health crises receive the appropriate care and support.

The implications of these recommendations are significant, potentially reshaping the landscape of mental health crisis responses in Los Angeles and setting a precedent for other cities grappling with similar challenges.