Police aren't answer to mental health crisis - Cahill

Police recruits won't be given additional mental health training under the Police Minister's watch because he doesn't want them to become a substitute for the experts. Mental health call-outs have been steadily increasing since 2006 but Labour has dumped a pilot programme set up by the previous government, where mental health workers attended crisis calls along with police and ambulance staff. The mental health inquiry released this week states clearly that the police need more training but Mr Nash doesn't want police left picking up the pieces. RNZ political reporter Jo Moir has the story.