POLICE REPORT A SPIKE IN INCIDENTS INVOLVING MENTALLY ILL PERSONS
Written by Fuze Social Team on August 12, 2021
Police are reporting that within the last few weeks, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force recorded a notable spike in number of incidences involving persons with mental illness and is asking family members of mentally ill patients or those showing signs of mental illness to seek the assistance at the first indication of unusual behaviour.
Police say they attended 15 incidents in the last three weeks where either family members and neighbours were seriously injured, threatened or had to be rescued from a mental health patient.
Household items were also destroyed. Most of the patients had to be taken by Police to the Behavioural Ward at the Peebles Hospital.
Among the 15 incidents recorded, two separate incidents involved persons coming to the Road Town Police Station.
Both were incoherent and one was carrying an imitation firearm.
Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Jacqueline Vanterpool noted the need for family members to get assistance ahead of any crisis especially when an appointment with a mental health practitioner is missed.
