A recent report shows that the Lethbridge Police Service was able to resolve 99.4 percent of their calls without force in 2024.
This is a four percent increase of force not used by LPS since its report back in April of 2024.
In a report presented to the Lethbridge Police Commission on Wednesday, March 26, LPS showed that only 248 cases, which round out to 0.6 percent of calls responded to by LPS led to the use of force.
In calls related to mental health leading to the use of force by responding officers, LPS said it was due to an individual being perceived by the officer as either agitated, intoxicated, or in a state of crisis.
LPS reported that much of the success has been the result of prioritizing de-escalation, crisis response training, and partnerships between Police and mental health professionals to support those in distress, allowing additional assistance for responding officers.
There are currently two teams in the LPS where an officer is partnered with a mental health therapist for high-risk calls with an individual and those with chronic issues.
Another tool used by LPS is a HealthIM digital platform that provides officers with a pre-response safety briefing and helps support their assessment on whether a person should be transported to a designated facility for evaluation.
The full report presented to the Commission can be found on the Lethbridge Commission’s website.
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