The Atlantic Police Academy (APA) and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) are working together to ensure that the next generation of police officers understand the complexities of dealing with individuals living with mental illness.

During the course of the cadets’ training, clients from the CMHA’s Notre Dame Place in Summerside come into the classroom to talk to them about their personal experiences with the police, and the challenges of communicating appropriately because of their mental illness.

Leslie Hadfield, who teaches Police Applied Social Sciences and Community Based Policing to the cadets, said cadets were able to get a better understanding by speaking with the clients.

“Every year, the cadets are given the opportunity to experience what it feels like to suffer from auditory hallucinations, which frequently plague people suffering from psychotic disorders. Once they had experienced for themselves what it was like, they understood fully how to implement the communication and de-escalation procedures they have learned. The visits from the members of Notre Dame Place enabled them to empathize with people suffering from mental illness,” she said.

Similar training will be offered to police officers throughout the province in the coming months.