This page uses extracted PDF text. Text can misread numbers, dates or table columns. Check the PDF before quoting or interpreting it. Redacted areas remain redacted.
Newport News Police Department
OPERATIONAL MANUAL
OPS-645 – RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
Amends/Supersedes: OPS-645 (03/19/2025) Date of Issue: 06/29/2026
I. GENERAL
A. Department personnel may encounter individuals experiencing a mental health or behavioral crisis
during their duties. This policy establishes expectations for responding to those situations. Non-sworn
personnel should not exceed the scope of their job description when working with those in crisis. This
policy specifies certain procedures that only apply to sworn personnel, referred to as officers.
B. Officers shall attempt to seek non-arrest resolutions of mental crisis calls, when possible, with the
referral to appropriate facilities on a voluntary basis being the desired result. [1.1.3]
C. Involuntary detentions or emergency custody orders will be sought when the safety of the public, or the
individual involved, is at risk. Involuntary detentions, or emergency custody orders, will be obtained in
accordance with §37.2-808 of the Code of Virginia.
D. When custodial action is required, officers must attempt to gain compliance by using appropriate
communication techniques, de-escalation and other reasonable alternatives to the application of force,
per OPS-110 Use of Force.
II. PROCEDURE
A. Communications will evaluate potential mental or behavioral crisis calls (see COM-370 Marcus Alert and
OPS-648 Community Assistance Response Program (CARE)).
1. When officers are dispatched with the Fire Department’s CARE team, they will follow OPS-648
Community Assistance Response Program (CARE).
2. An effort should be made to dispatch officers who have completed the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
training, using available resources.
B. Department personnel should consider the following to determine whether a person needs emergency
services. If the person has a mental illness or is experiencing a behavioral crisis, and, because of that
illness or behavior: [41.2.7(a)]
1. Appears to be imminently dangerous to themselves or others.
2. Appears to be unable to care for themselves (e.g., unable/refuses to accept intervention to meet
minimum needs of food, clothes, shelter or physical well-being); or
3. Appears to be suffering substantial mental deterioration and exhibits an inability to function.
C. Voluntary Admissions to Mental Health Facilities [41.2.7(b,c)]
1. Persons appearing in need of mental health treatment and not posing an imminent danger to
themselves or others should be referred to a mental health facility. A family member or other
responsible person should be provided with the information necessary to secure aid. [1.1.3]
NOTE: Most referrals are made to the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board (CSB)
and the Office of the Crisis Counselors at Riverside Regional Medical Center.
2. Persons who have been or are under the care of a private physician should be referred to that
physician if possible.
3. Officers may provide a person with a courtesy transport to Riverside ER, Riverside Mental Health &
Recovery Center (Section II.F.), B.J. Roberts Behavioral Health Center or the Hampton VA Medical
Center.
OPS-645- 1 of 5 – 06/29/2026Jump to an indexed page (5 of 5)