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‘Future Of Policing’: How The LASD Incorporates Mental Health

When a call for service involves a person with mental health issues, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has a specialized team to offer support — not jail time.

The Mental Evaluation Team (MET) is a growing program in the LASD which consists of about 26 teams — one plain clothed deputy and one clinical psychologist — to tackle the growing issue of mental health.

“Mental health is the future of policing,” said Sgt. Brandon Barclay, who oversees the north patrol division. “You can’t just focus on the problem, you have to be solution-oriented.”

The MET deputies receive hundreds of hours of additional training, including an FBI negotiation course, which sharpens their skills in the event of a crisis.

“These aren’t your ‘typical’ deputies,” Barclay said. “Along with the psychologist, they are specially trained to assist those who have a mental illness.”

The team arrives at a scene in an unmarked patrol car, wearing a polo and khakis, which has an impact on how they are perceived by a person in distress, according to Barclay.

“It is not a crime to have a mental health issue,” Barclay said. “We are trying to show that the Sheriff’s Department is aware that mental health calls for service are important. We are trying to show compassion.”

Calls for service for the MET can range from homelessness outreach, suicide and even barricaded suspects.

“We are sometimes the first line of communication to these people to try and deescalate the situation,” Barclay said. “Sometimes a misunderstanding can make the situation worse.”

One of the most important aspects of the Mental Evaluation Team is linkage, providing that link to a person with mental illness to services in the community.

“There are so many services that the county provides,” Barclay said. “Many people just don’t know where to look.”

Those services include drug addiction treatment, mental health counseling and homeless support from the community.

“We are trying to get them care at the end of the day,” Barclay said. “Not just lock them up, and throw away the key.”

Barclay discussed the stigma of mental health, which can inhibit deputies’ efforts to get people into treatment.

“People will tell easily you have a cold or the flu, but they won’t tell you about a mental health issue,” he said.

That stigma is something the Mental Evaluation Team is trying to combat, by reaching out to the community for increased awareness on mental health.

“We reach out to the community as often as possible,” Barclay said. “With the support of the Board of Supervisors, the MET team is expanding.”

The Board of Supervisors is working with the LASD to almost double the number of MET teams to 60, to patrol one of the most populous counties in the country.

“We are working to help the community, not just lock people up,” Barclay said. “This is going to help break that stigma and take the criminal element out of mental health.”


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‘Future Of Policing’: How The LASD Incorporates Mental Health

6 comments

  1. “This is going to help break that stigma and take the criminal element out of mental health”.

    What does that even mean? Commit a crime then say you are a danger to your self or others and the MET team places you on a 5150 WIC hold instead of booking you for the crime? Sounds like lazy law enforcement work to me and more the job of a social worker. One is already not arrested and charged for being under the influence of drugs in Santa Clarita.

    I don’t buy this! All this does is clog the emergency rooms, enables bad behavior because there are no consequences for ones actions and creates more false crime stats by yet another crime not being counted.

    • @John;
      What an ignorant reply !
      Obviously you are one of the problems in society!
      90% of crimes are mostly committed by the mentally I’ll; & it’s far less expensive to treat these “criminals” with mental illness than the $300-600/per day to arrest & jail these “criminals”
      Actually it would be less expensive for the city/state government (tax payers) to provide ALL basics necessities ie housing, food, medical & sometimes physical confinement rather than “typical jail”!

  2. Its “throw”, not “through”… Once more on the proofreading wouldn’t hurt.

  3. —-Barclay discussed the stigma of mental health, which can inhibit deputies’ efforts to get people into treatment.

    He did not discuss educating those who teach us to say there is a stigma. They complicate matters, affecting not only those who have an illness, but everyone else.

  4. This is great but they need to not call 911 after they determine that the person has mental health issues. They take an ambulance out of service cause they don’t wanna take the person in a patrol car to the hospital. The ambulance and fire engine respond with lights and sirens, putting their own lives at risk for a non emergency situation. It’s a great program, now it needs some polishing.

  5. MET definitely works and the evidence-based research proves my assertion. Education LEOs in the subject matter of mental health is highly beneficial to society at large. Indeed, less multimillion-dollar lawsuits over simple misunderstandings. Invest in more MET education for the benefit of the average citizens now!

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About Devon Miller

Devon Miller was born and raised in Santa Clarita. He joined KHTS Radio as a digital marketing intern in September of 2017, and later moved to news as a staff writer in December. Miller attended College of the Canyons and served as the Associated Student Government President. Miller is now News Director for KHTS, covering breaking news and politics across the Santa Clarita Valley.