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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has created behavioral health units pairing specially trained officers with mental health experts to find people in crisis and divert them to appropriate programs and services.
WRTV-TV reported data showed the department not only has had an increase in mental health runs, but many repeat calls to the same addresses.
Law enforcement professionals sayid as many as half of the people arrested wouldn't be if not for their mental illnesses. Once in jail, taxpayers pay for $700,000 in psychotropic medications, $2.1 million in extra security staffing and $5 million for medical personnel to treat mentally ill people.
Tracey Lomax, one of IMPD's new behavioral health unit officers, said many people are happy the police department is providing the service.
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