Issues raised over how Australian police deal with the mentally ill

Mar 17 2008

The decision of a Queensland coroner to absolve four police officers from any blame in four separate incidents where four mental health patients were shot dead, has raised issues of how the police deal with the mentally ill.

The coroner's decision has prompted calls from mental health groups for a system to inform the police when they are dealing with patients with a history of violence.

The incidents took place over a three year period.

The coroner Michael Barnes found four officers were justified in shooting dead the mental health patients, without warning, in separate stand-offs in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but he was critical of the state's mental health services.

James Henry Jacobs, 29, Thomas Dion Waite, 30, Mieng Huynh, 40, and James Michael Gear, 22, were shot dead by police between October 2003 and March 2006.

A joint inquest last year was told that all four had been in the throes of a psychotic episode and had become violent before they were gunned down either in their homes or in public; none of the mentally ill men were apparently receiving adequate treatment for their condition.

Mr Barnes said each of the four deaths was legally justifiable in that at the time of the shooting, the police officer concerned reasonably believed he or someone else was at risk of serious injury or death.

Mr Barnes said he felt the officers generally demonstrated courage and professionalism.

Only in one incident were the police accused of mismanagement when Mr Gear was shot 9 times by an officer who became trapped in his house during an armed siege.

The coroner has urged Queensland Health to conduct better assessment of people displaying mental health symptoms, as well as mandatory blood and urine screening of those at risk of abusing drugs and alcohol, which are often the triggers for violence.

He also found it inexcusable that health services could not ensure mental health patients were taking their medication.

Other recommendations offered included changes to Queensland Police Services (QPS) training procedures, particularly critical incident response education for all junior and frontline officers and the suggestion that QPS remind all its members of their duty to warn people of their intention to shoot before pulling the trigger, after it was revealed that none of the men were given such warnings.

Families of some of the men were present in court but refused to speak to the media, some were visibly upset at the coroner's conclusion that police were not to blame for the deaths.

The Mental Health Association of Queensland says while the concept of a register is controversial, it could help both police officers and patients.

Queensland Health is expected to respond to the findings later today.