Madness! - Ellington chides cops over their response to mentally ill

Police Commissioner Owen Ellington is reminding cops that they have a duty to respond to reports of mentally ill persons wandering the streets.

Ellington has also expressed concern about the comments which police allegedly make to members of the public who report issues involving the mentally ill.

"In recent times I have received a number of complaints, some very disturbing, regarding the attitude of the police towards mentally disordered persons found wandering at large, and those who have committed offences and come into police custody," Ellington said in the Force Orders issued on Friday.

According to Ellington, there is no truth to the usual police response that there is nothing they can do if the person has not committed an offence.

"Where a constable finds any person in a public place or wandering at large, in such a manner or under such circumstances as to indicate that he is mentally disordered, the constable may, without a warrant, take such person in charge and forthwith accompany him to a psychiatric facility for treatment...," said Ellington, quoting from the Mental Health Act.