Police officers’ perception of mentally disordered people: a national survey in Japan

Abstract

ABSTRACT The treatment of offenders with mental disorders is an important issue in forensic mental health. In most countries, police officers working in the community are the first to deal with patients at risk of harming themselves or others. However, police officers’ perceptions and opinions of their practice in dealing with such patients have not been adequately investigated in Japan. We conducted a national survey to gather police officers’ opinions regarding their diversion practice for people with mental disorders and interorganizational collaboration. A total of 241 police officers participated in the study. Many participants were aware of the national mental health care scheme of administrative involuntary hospitalization in their daily work. However, many participants complained about public health centers and psychiatrists. These complaints seem to stem partly from the differences between organizational structures, lack of resources, and communication gaps. Many participants felt they lacked the opportunity to learn more about mental health literacy. Better collaborative care for people with mental disorders requires mutual relationships between the police, public health centers, and psychiatrists to promote a deeper understanding of community mental health.