Reimagining Policing Mental Health: A Call for Abolitionist-Informed Alternatives

Abstract

To date, police are the default first responders to crisis calls in Canada. The involvement of police in responding to crisis calls has been termed policing mental health, which represents one aspect of broader carceral mental healthcare practices. Policing mental health has long existed, evidenced throughout Canada’s history, and continues to be upheld by sanism and racism. Recently, civilian-led (i.e., non-police staffed) crisis teams have started to gain traction, however research on these teams remains limited. This thesis employs a multi-sited case study design, including three civilian-led crisis teams in Canada, to explore the key processes involved in their conceptualization, development, implementation, and operation. This research takes a prison industrial complex (PIC) abolitionist lens positioned toward transformative justice and is enriched by the theoretical orientations of mad studies and critical race theory. The findings offer insight into the common elements involved in establishing civilian-led teams, while equally sharing site-specific insights. As an early contribution to a growing field, this thesis advances understanding of civilian-led crisis response and offers critical knowledge for reimagining mental health care in Canada.