NORFOLK, Va. — As the country struggles to figure out what "defund the police" means, one area that keeps coming up in the conversation is mental health.
It is your local police department that is often first to respond when a person is experiencing a mental health crisis at the local grocery store, coffee shop, or almost anywhere. The pressure of the pandemic makes those types of calls more frequent.
"There is not anyone who has not been affected by this adversely in some way," said NAMI Coastal Virginia President Courtney Boone.
Norfolk Police Chief Larry Boone said if Norfolk were to look at defunding, he could support fewer contacts with residents in mental psychosis. Most police departments, including Norfolk train crisis intervention officers to respond to crises.
NAMI enjoys a positive and productive relationship with several Southside police departments.
"They play a vital role in our community to helping those in crisis ensuring that they get what they need in the right way," said Boone.
Virginia Beach Crisis Intervention Training officers travel with Community Services Board mental health emergency services clinicians, so that assessments can be done right on the scene.
If money were to be shifted from police straight to the mental health community, there are areas in which Boone feels like that would be welcomed.
"In terms of the transportation and the transport of individuals to and from psychiatric facilities, right now that's done by the police."
And often those trips are done outside the officer's jurisdiction.