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Handle with Care Initiative

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Summary:

The Erie County Handle with Care Initiative is a collaborative effort between Erie County Central Police Services and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office to aid law enforcement officers during interactions with individuals with mental illness or diseases that affect their cognitive ability and communication.

The initiative uses voluntarily provided information and existing computer systems to improve the quality of police response to calls involving vulnerable populations.

The goal of the initiative is to proactively provide law enforcement officers with relevant information to help de-escalate the situation and increase the likelihood of positive outcomes when engaged with someone experiencing a mental health crisis.

Erie County residents can send an email to the address below to request access to the link to sign up for the Initiative.

handlewithcare@erie.gov

Identifying the Problem:  

Law Enforcement response to calls where vulnerable individuals are experiencing a behavioral health crisis that impacts cognitive ability or communication, poses a unique challenge to scene safety.

Responding officers do not always have vital information aboutthe vulnerable person, and the presence or absence of this information can significantly affect the response.

When it comes to a person experiencing a behavioral health crisis, the gap in the details of the information provided can have profound and significant consequences when police attempt to intervene. The misidentification of a mental health crisis as resistance, obstruction, or a deliberate intention to cause harm may result in use of force rather than containment and de-escalation.

When police officers can quickly obtain relevant details about the vulnerable person, such as physical descriptions, historical routes of travel, and specific de-escalation information, they can improve the interaction and form the foundation for successful intervention. Additionally, access to this information may lead to a better linkage to treatment and a reduction in officers use of force.

Erie County sought a streamlined method of providing crucial safety information to responding officers by creating the Handle with Care Initiative.

Program Description:

Inspired by the model created by the Colonie NY Police Department, Erie County implemented the Handle with Care Initiative to aid Law Enforcement officers in responding to 9-1-1 calls for people with mental illness, disabilities, Autism, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, or any condition that may require behavioral health or other assistance.

The Handle with Care Initiative contains vital information about individuals who live in Erie County and may benefit from special assistance during law enforcement encounters. All information submitted to the program is voluntary, secured on Erie County servers, and will only be shared with first responders.

The information contained in the Initiative can only be provided by those that wish to self- report or those that have a legal relationship to care for the individual being added to the initiative.

Handle with Care Initiative entries include name, address, date of birth, and physical appearance descriptors. Photos, preferred names, triggers, calming methods, and specific descriptions of needs also can be uploaded.
 

During an active response, a caller/caregiver can indicate that the individual in crisis is part of the Handle with Care Initiative to the 9-1-1 call takers. Information is then relayed via phone, computer, or police radio to responding officer(s).

Any call dispatched to a residence of an initiative participant will also alert the dispatcher and responding officer to the information in the Initiative. If an officer searches the subject’s name during a response, the corresponding warning file will alert responding officers to investigate the Initiative. 

Dispatch notes repeat calls for emotionally distressed person(s) and cross-checks with the Initiative. If an individual is not included, dispatch will share this information with officers for their next interaction. 

Enrollment 

To enroll, email the Erie County Sheriff’s office at handlewithcare@erie.gov to request access to the initiative. The Erie County Sheriff’s office will send a link which will allow for input of the pertinent information. Fill in the required fields and click submit. 

This is a voluntary program, and by submitting information to the Handle with Care Initiative, the person submitting the information certifies that the details provided are true and accurate.

It is the responsibility of the person submitting the information to update information annually, or more frequently if changes occur. 

By providing this information, the person submitting the information consents to sharing it with first responders.

There is no specific medical information or diagnosis required for program entry. At any time, individuals and their families may update their entry and/or withdraw their information from the Initiative by emailing handlewithcare@erie.gov.

Privacy Concerns

Erie County is committed to protecting the privacy and the dignity of people who entrust their information to the Handle with Care Initiative by providing the level of security otherwise reserved for data used in highly sensitive criminal investigations. Program data will be maintained in our secure and encrypted Central Police Services Servers. Police agencies will be advised that information contained in the Initiative is for first responders use only and shall not be shared with third parties.

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