JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — What kind of car are they driving? Do they have a weapon? Are there children involved?
When police are responding to a dangerous situation, it's this kind of information that's vital. It helps them prepare for the situation, plan for possible outcomes and provide necessary resources to deal with the situation at hand.
That's why First Coast News Crime and Safety Expert Mark Baughman says it's absolutely crucial to give police detailed mental health information when dealing with an emergency.
Earlier this week, a man wielding a hatchet, who may have been going through a mental health emergency, was killed by an officer with The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
A mental health co-responder not called in because the initial call didn’t indicate a mental health situation, and rather was an “armed dispute”.
"The officer has gets to get between themselves in the individual [co-responder], because they're not going to be able to save the individual in case something bad happens," said Baughman.
JSO says that the situation may have been handled differently if officers had known that they were dealing with a mental health situation. Baughman suggested police to go through more training when responding to those type of calls.
"We're not mental health clinicians, police officers aren't unfortunately," Baughman added. "But we have to know enough, at least to be able to get in some position with that individual so hopefully, we don't have to do anything."
The National Alliance on Mental Illness says there are a few things you can do to keep the situation as calm as possible when dealing with a mental health related emergency.
NAMI says you need to tell the dispatcher that your loved one is having a mental health crisis and explain her mental health history and/or diagnosis If the police who arrive aren't aware that a mental health crisis is occurring, they cannot handle the situation appropriately.
Not every police officer is trained in a crisis intervention team program, but you should ask for one that is to respond to your situation if they are available.
It was Thursday morning when JSO initially responded to Morse Avenue in response to a report of an individual cutting power to houses.
Later in the afternoon, the man, later identified by police as Kevin Mahan, was spotted by police walking through a wooded area to an open field.
An officer then noticed that the suspect was holding a hatchet, reports JSO. The officer asked him to put down the hatchet at least three times before the suspect stood up and raised the axe. Police say the officer fired a single round, killing Mahan at the scene.
The officer has been placed on administrative leave, per JSO policy, pending the outcome of an official investigation.