People who are mentally disturbed or in crisis situations

In a large city like Montréal, there are many mental health-related issues that can take many forms: sometimes this can be a very short episode, related to a particular situation, an existing condition that is under control, or that suddenly becomes a problem.

Police officers from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) respond to more than 33,000 calls per year regarding a person in crisis or whose mental state is disturbed. This corresponds to about 100 calls a day^*1.

These calls are spread across the Montréal territory and touch a diverse group of people (youth, seniors, immigrants, underprivileged, women, etc.), many of whom present various factors of vulnerability.

The terms “individuals who are mentally disturbed or in crisis” refer to a type of police intervention and not a medical diagnosis.

*¹ The estimated more than 33,000 calls per year was determined using sample calls (manual count).

SPVM: A gateway to resources

For the past 20 years, the SPVM has been deploying various measures for improving its intervention methods and ensuring they are better adapted to the needs of people who are mentally disturbed or in crisis. The SPVM strives to remain a gateway to health, social services and community resources, among others.

It focuses on its containment and de-escalation training offered to all police officers and on the voluntary RIC training (Réponse en intervention de crise). Working in cooperation with various partners, the SPVM also develops more in-depth expertise, such as ÉSUP (Équipe de soutien aux urgences psychosociales) and ÉMRII (Équipe mobile de référence et d'intervention en itinérance).

Need help for a loved one with a disturbed mental state?

A loved one does not seem to be well and his situation worries you. You can read the leaflet to learn more about what you can do and what resources are available to you. To view or print the document, click here.