Wood Buffalo RCMP are offering more support to those experiencing a mental crisis with their new Police and Crises Team (PACT) in partnership with Alberta Health Services.

PACT offers mental health assessment, support, and/ or consultation in crisis situations from AHS and police.

Mark Hancock, Superintendent of the Wood Buffalo RCMP says that one of their officers will team up with a nurse from AHS to respond to mental health calls.

“Alberta Health Services will know the medical history of the person, they will know what their issues or medication might be,” said Hancock. “It’s a lot better to me than just police going to these calls all the time because sometimes things get escalated.”

He noted that they currently have 2.74 trained nurses that will do a shift during the week to any mental health call.

“We got an unmarked car we just ordered and trying to make this the lowest level of intervention and try to deal with things a different way.”

Hancock noted that their identified police officer has gone to Red Deer to study how their program has been working.

He stated that he expects all of this to be happening very soon.

More information can be found during the Wood Buffalo RCMP annual Policing Priorities virtual open house on April 27.