The Impact of Mental Health Resources on Police Officer Action Kayla G. Jachimowski 1 & Carley J. Smathers 2 & Lindsey N. Smathers 2 & Ryan J. Lemmon 1 # Society for Police and Criminal Psychology 2020 Abstract Concern over interactions between the police and public is more prevalent today than ever before. Specifically, the number of interactions between the police and individuals with mental health disorders (MHD) has increased as the resources from the mental health systems continue to decrease. To better understand these interactions, this paper focuses on police response to mental health calls for service (MHCFS), with specific attention to resources available for officers. Using factorial surveys, police responses from departments across the USA were analyzed using hierarchical linear mixed modeling. The results suggest the availability of mental health resources are significant predictors in the actions taken by police. Implications are clear, police require more mental health-related resources available to them at the scene. Keywords Mental Health; PwMI; police; Calls for Service; Mental Health Resources Introduction There is a lack of agreement among researchers regarding the state of mental illness in the country as evidenced by the varying opinions on the actuality of mental illness (Bergner and Bunford 2017; Varelius 2009). This discord concerning the state of mental illness has translated into serious concerns over policing individuals with mental health disorders (MHDs). Since deinstitutionalization, police interactions with these individuals continue to increase each year. Policing scholars report varying degrees of effectiveness of policing strategies regarding mental health disorders, policing perceptions, and the most appropriate response to police and individuals with MHD interactions (Lord and Bjerregaard 2014; Taheri 2014; Watson et al. 2008). The Problem The impact of deinstitutionalization and the criminalization of persons with MHDs cannot be overstated (Torrey et al. 2010). Police are often called to deal with not only crime but disorder, they interact disproportionately with individuals with MHDs, most notably through mental health calls for service (MHCFS). However, as long as police continue to receive calls for service, they will continue to be the responsible party when it comes to interacting with individuals who may have a MHD. Unfortunately, this is regardless of the lack of resources to man- age disorders and disruption in agreements across mental health and criminal justice systems (CJS) (Steadman et al. 2000). As a result, police officers have become the primary gatekeep- er of individuals with MHDs; however, police departments lack resources, training, and policies to adequately manage this re- sponsibility (Ruiz and Miller 2004). For example, police typical- ly are wary of individuals with mental illness because they are perceived as being dangerous and unpredictable (Ruiz and Miller 2004). Such perceptions force the police into one of the two responses: recognizing the need for treatment or arresting a per- son to protect the community (Jennings and Hudak 2005). Such mixed sentiments about how to respond to MHCFS has histori- cally led to violence (Morabito et al. 2012). Thus, this paper’s primary focus was to examine the role resources have on police- decision making during MHCFS. Literature Review Police and Individuals with Mental Health Disorders The disproportionate contacts between police and individuals with MHDs are evident in research, as persons with MHDs * Kayla G. Jachimowski kayla.jachimowski@stvincent.edu 1 Saint Vincent College, 300 Fraser Purchase Rd., Latrobe, PA 15605, USA 2 Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 411 N. Walk, Indiana, PA 15705, USA https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-020-09395-x Published online: 4 July 2020 Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology (2021) 36:193–203