Toronto Police to Launch Mental-Health App to Connect Officers with People in Crisis

According to a new report from TheStar, Toronto police are preparing to roll out an app that will let officers connect people in crisis with mental health services and other professionals in the field.

The Community Asset Portal is a location-detecting app that presents users with a map of available services near them. The app will show detailed information of the service, in addition to directions by car, public transit or walking. In a statement, Toronto Police Service’s manager of business intelligence Ian Williams said:

“This isn’t just, ‘There’s a place here that offers this type of service.’ It (says) ‘You can call this individual, during these hours to get this type of service.’”

Williams said that the app will allow officers to quickly direct a person who is in need to a service location that best suits them. On average, the Toronto Police Service receives 70 calls per day to deal with someone who has mental heath issues.

Toronto police partnered with a team of masters students from Ryerson University’s geography department. The app is in the process of being finalized for a release to all officers.

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