Law Enforcement and Mental Health: Police Practices in Managing Mentally Challenged Offenders

Abstract

This study investigates a critical procedural gap in police interactions with mentally challenged offenders, an area often marked by inconsistent practices, inadequate training, and uncertainty between care and control functions. The research aimed to identify empirically grounded best practices that guide police officers when dealing with mentally challenged individuals in the community. Employing a qualitative narrative-inquiry design, the study involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with purposively selected officers from the Baguio City Police Office. Data were transcribed, memoed, and analyzed through descriptive thematic analysis until thematic saturation was achieved. The findings revealed four interrelated domains of effective practice: adopting a cautious yet compassionate approach that emphasizes de-escalation; exercising leniency and diversion in non-violent incidents; fostering collaboration with mental health professionals and social welfare agencies; and engaging community-based support networks to ensure sustained care. Collectively, these practices embody a relational-policing model that integrates public safety with empathy and human rights. The study concludes that formalizing these practices through specialized training, interagency protocols, and community diversion programs can strengthen institutional responses to mental health-related incidents. Such measures would not only minimize unnecessary criminalization but also advance a more humane, evidence-informed policing framework aligned with mental health and human rights policies.