Transit Police ‘optimistic’ help for those suffering mental health challenges on the way

METRO VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – As the number of mental health cases continues to rise across BC, the head of a local police force says he’s hopeful more help is on the way.

“Probably about 20 to 25 per cent of the incidents that we attend involve somebody who has a mental health issue, either the victim, or the suspect, or a witness,” says Metro Vancouver Transit Police Chief Doug LePard.

He says occasionally there’s a problem officers need to deal with, but there’s only so much they can do when responding to someone with specific needs.

“You know the easy way out would be to have them banned from the system, but we’ve actually tried to bring resources to them to resolve their problems so that they can ride the system safely.”

After years of increasing problems, LePard says he likes the tone of BC’s NDP government. He believes there’s reason to be optimistic that people with mental health challenges will get the help they need.

“The province is going to be reopening one of the buildings in the Riverview lands, and there’s now a minister who has a portfolio for mental health and addictions,” he explains. “It is a health issue, not a crime issue. These people belong in hospital beds, not in jail cells and that’s what we work towards.”

But, LePard says don’t expect to notice much of a difference this year, as there’s no short term fix.

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