Behaviour of police officials towards mentally ill persons

Autori prikazuju postupanje policije prema osobama s duševnim smetnjama de lege lata i de lege ferenda, za što koriste prikaz postojećeg Zakona o zaštiti osoba s duševnim smetnjama, nacrt novog zakona koji regulira to područje, primjere iz prakse, statističke podatke te stajališta pravne i medicinske struke. U radu se ukazuje na najčešće primjenjivane ovlasti policije kod postupanja prema osobama s duševnim smetnjama i na određene dvojbe iz prakse kod dovođenja osoba s duševnim smetnjama u psihijatrijsku ustanovu kad neposredno ugrožavaju svoj život i zdravlje odnosno život i zdravlje drugih osoba, odnosno u slučajevima pružanja pomoći zdravstvenim djelatnicima kada postupaju prema osobama s duševnim smetnjama. Statistički podaci za područje Republike Hrvatske ukazuju na blagi trend porasta policijskih intervencija u zadnjih pet godina, ali i profesionalan policijski pristup prema takvim osobama. Zaključno se predlaže koordiniranje aktivnosti svih službi koje postupaju prema osobama s duševnim smetnjama te dodatno educiranje i specijaliziranje policijskih službenika za postupanje prema takvim osobama, te se ukazuje na potrebu ravnoteže između nužnosti zaštite prava i sloboda osoba s duševnim smetnjama i zaštite prava i sigurnosti sredine u kojoj takve osobe žive kao i sigurnosti čitave zajednice.The authors demonstrate the behaviour of police towards mentally ill individuals de lege lata and de lege ferenda. For this, they use an analysis of the existing Protection and Advocacy for the Mentally Ill Act, the draft of the new law which regulates that area, examples from practice, statistical data and the viewpoints of the legal and medical professions. This article points out the most frequent application of police powers when dealing with mentally ill persons and certain quandaries about the practice of admitting mentally ill persons into psychiatric institutions when they are a danger to themselves and others, that is, in the case of providing help to health workers dealing with mentally ill persons. Statistical data for the area of the Republic of Croatia point to a slight trend in the increase of police interventions over the last five years and also in the professional police approach towards such individuals. In conclusion, the coordinated activity of all services dealing with mentally ill persons is proposed as are additional education and the specialisation of police officials dealing with such persons. Furthermore, the need for balance between the necessity to protect the rights of mentally ill persons and the protection of rights and the security of the surroundings in which such persons live and the security of the entire community are pointed out