The campaign to reduce the number of North Yorkshire people held in police custody unnecessarily takes another step forward today when a pilot street triage scheme starts in Scarborough.
Mental health nurses will work with police to assess whether a person involved in an incident has a mental illness and needs help from mental health social care or other support services.
North Yorkshire Police want to reduce the number of people they are currently have to take into police custody for their own and other people's safety under the Mental Health Act.
Police will call out the mental health nurses, who will be based at Cross Lane Hospital, Scarborough, when they believe a person they are dealing with has a mental illness.
Chief Constable Dave Jones said it was "extremely welcome news for the area" along with the opening of two places of safety in Scarborough and York. "It is vital that people with mental health issues receive the most appropriate care when they need it," he said.
A similar scheme in Cleveland saw a large reduction in the number of people detained unnecessarily under the Mental Health Act.
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