TPD shares initial plans to get new mental health response program off the ground

TAMPA, Fla. - A week after the Tampa Police Department announced plans for a new mental health response program, the department shared its initial moves to get it off the ground during a special-called city council meeting Thursday.

The new initiative is a result of feedback from the mayor’s community task force on policing.

“We are going to work with mental health professionals as we build this. I don’t want that to get lost in the shuffle,” said Police Chief Brian Dugan.

After residents raised concerns during public comment over the sense of urgency and potential direction of the new program public comment, TPD said that it is serious about the moves to improve response.

“The prior approach to mental health was criminalization of mental illness by incarcerating those in mental health. We realized that that’s ineffective, and we’re taking steps. We do take this very seriously,” said assistant chief Lee Bercaw of the Tampa Police Department.

To start, Tampa police said they are getting information on how existing programs run at seven different police departments across the country.

At some agencies, like in Eugene, Oregon, mental health workers mostly handle calls on their own.

“The teams do respond without law enforcement when possible; however, the lieutenant stressed that their crew’s safety is their priority, and they do have LEO respond with them when they’re needed,” said Bercaw.

Other programs have counselors work alongside police on every call. But the question left to answer is what will be the best approach for Tampa. Some residents shared their opinions that adding social workers alongside officers won’t be enough.

Tampa police said they are looking into grant funding for the program and are drafting up a request for proposal.

“I think it’s robust, the administration guarantees us that right now they’re working fast, that in the next 30 days we’ll have something,” said Tampa City Councilmember Orlando Gudes of District 5.

Then TPD hopes to get responses from mental health providers in the following 30 days to share with council members to begin the program by the end of the year.

“If the taxpayers are asking council and asking the police department to do certain things and we can do it, our guys have to look at how to implement it correctly,” said Gudes.

Several city council members during Thursday’s meeting said they want collaboration with everyone in the public, from police and fire to community activists and stakeholders.