The nature of police shootings in New Zealand: A comparison of mental health and non-mental health events

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Abstract

The use of firearms by police in mental health-related events has not been previously researched in New Zealand. This study analysed reports of investigations carried out by the Independent Police Conduct Authority between 1995 and 2019. We extracted data relating to mental health state, demographics, setting, police response, outcome of shooting, and whether the individual was known to police, mental health services, and with a history of mental distress or drug use. Of the 258 reports analysed, 47 (18%) involved mental health-related events compared to 211 (82%) classified as non-mental health events. Nineteen (40.4%) of the 47 mental health events resulted in shootings, compared to 31 (14.8%) of the 211 non-mental health events. Of the 50 cases that involved shootings 38% (n = 19) were identified as mental health events compared to 62% (n = 31) non-mental health events. Over half of the mental health events (n = 11, 57.9%) resulted in fatalities, compared to 35.5% (n = 11) of the non-mental health events. Cases predominantly involved young males. We could not ascertain the ethnicity of individuals from the IPCA reports. Across all shooting events, a high proportion of individuals possessed a weapon, predominantly either a firearm or a knife, and just under half were known to police and had known substance use. Of the 19 mental health events, 47.4% (n = 9) of individuals were known to mental health services and in 89.5% (n = 17) of cases whānau (family) were aware of the individual's current (at the time of the event) mental health distress and/or history. These findings suggest opportunities to prevent the escalation of events to the point where they involve shootings. Lack of ethnicity data limits the accountability of the IPCA and is an impediment to informed discussion of police response to people of different ethnicities, and Māori in particular, in New Zealand.

Introduction

Armed police responses have been thrust to the forefront of debate locally and internationally following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, awareness of heightened risk of use of force against Māori and Pasifika peoples, and increased media attention to these issues. (Dunham & Petersen, 2017; Forbes, 2020; Thom & Quince, 2020). In this paper, we review use of firearms by police in mental health-related events in New Zealand.

Section snippets

Background

New Zealand has a growing concern regarding the number of police responses to mental health-related events. In 2018, police reported that one in 10 people who were suicidal or experiencing mental distress were subjected to use of force by police (New Zealand Police, 2018). Use of force represents a continuum of police response including open hand techniques, handcuffs, physical restraint, pepper spray, and Tasers. In the 2018/19 year, police received 32,994 mental health-related calls,

Results

Initial analysis considered the total database of 258 eligible cases. From those cases 47 (18%) were classified as mental health-related events compared to 211 (82%) classified as non-mental health events. Mental health events were more likely than non-mental health events to involve police use of firearms. Nineteen (40.4%) of the 47 mental health events resulted in shootings, compared to 31 (14.8%) of the 211 non-mental health events (Fisher's exact test 0.0041, p < .05).

Of the 50 events that

Discussion

This is the first study to report the use of firearms by New Zealand Police in events involving people experiencing mental distress. The study was able to draw on an almost complete database of reports on police shootings over 25 years. As has been reported internationally, people experiencing mental distress in New Zealand are disproportionately likely to face an armed police response. Also, that response is more likely to prove fatal for people experiencing mental distress compared to those

Limitations

A limitation of this research is the nature of the database used. IPCA cases cannot be considered representative of overall police activity, or police response to people in mental distress. Nevertheless, in the absence of other reported data, the IPCA cases do allow for some understanding of police use of firearms in cases involving people experiencing mental distress and especially in cases involving police use of firearms. The content analysis was reliant on the details provided in the IPCA

Conclusion

In New Zealand, people experiencing mental distress are disproportionately likely to be subject to armed police response and more likely to be killed in armed encounters. While individuals subject to fatal police response are likely to be in possession of firearms and are likely to have used substances, these factors do not explain the observed differences in police use of firearms. Police and whānau (family) knowledge of individuals' mental health history suggest opportunities for intervention

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

No conflict of interest.

Funding

No funding to declare.

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