NYC Council Introduction 345

intro.nyc/0345-2024 2024-2025 Legislative Session
Establishing a mandatory mental health emergency response training for all uniformed members of the police department whose responsibilities include routinely interacting with arrested individuals and victims of crime.
Status: Committee Committee on Public Safety
Sponsored by Mercedes Narcisse
Introduced: February 28, 2024

This bill would require the police commissioner, in collaboration with the commissioner of health and mental hygiene, to develop and implement a training on recognizing and responding to mental health emergencies. The training would be mandatory for all uniformed members of the department whose responsibilities include routinely interacting with arrested individuals and victims of crime on recognizing and responding to mental health emergencies. The training would provide information on symptoms of mental illness, effective communication with a person experiencing a mental health emergency, how to de-escalate a mental health emergency, and alternatives to involuntary removal to a hospital.