A story in today’s ABC News includes confronting police bodycam footage during a “welfare check.”
A NSW court today heard that in 2021, an insurance company had called 000, after a consumer threatened to kill herself during a distressing call. While concern was warranted, the disproportionate police response was not.
Body camera footage published by the ABC showed clearly the consumer and her partner deny entry to the police. The consumer’s partner was heard saying she had calmed down.
However, the disproportionate response from the police saw them first try to kick the door down, and then proceed to gain access by climbing onto a 1st floor balcony. When they cornered the woman in a neighbour’s garden, they allegedly pepper sprayed her in the face despite her being seated and presenting no physical threat.
This is the third instance of police mistreatment of people experiencing mental health challenges that have come to light in the last week.
The NSW Government has been considering alternatives to the police for over two years. Enough is enough.
Today, we’re calling on all residents of NSW to write to their MPs demanding an end to the delays and an immediate invitation for advocacy bodies to join BEING in fast-tracking alternatives.
Not sure who your MP is?
Visit the NSW Electoral Commission website, enter your postal address, click Find. Click on the “State District” link, then scroll down and click on “Parliamentary Representation” to find your MP’s name.
Then click here, enter your MPs first and last name, click on the search magnifying glass and then on their name to find details of your MP’s email and phone number.
We are asking concerned members to share your story about police responding to mental health challenges with your local Member of Parliament. We encourage you to write something in the way you want your story to be told.
Some things you can include in writing to your Member of Parliament include:
- Call on the Government to publicly share what alternatives are being discussed
- Urgently invite relevant advocacy groups like BEING into their conversation
- Demand increased funding for Safe Havens so that people in crisis have somewhere to receive appropriate support when experiencing a mental health crisis.
And please forward this link to anyone you know who supports an alternative to the police as mental health responders and ask them to write to their Member of Parliament too.