Chief constable welcomes mental health strategy

Fri, 11 Dec 2015

Police officers shouldn't be the "last resort" of help for people suffering from mental health problems on the Isle of Man.

Chief Constable Gary Roberts who's welcomed a new five-year strategy which is going before Tynwald next week - he says at present services are not joining up effectively.

In this year's annual report he revealed one in five calls to the police has a mental health link saying change "cannot come soon enough".

Mr Roberts believes we have to move away from putting people who need help into the criminal justice system which can be "enormously damaging" - however admits it's a "very fine balance":