Member-only story
Do Not Mistake This Uniform for Hostility; It Holds Kindness and Compassion
Spread the Ripple writing prompt for March “how has someone in uniform restored your faith in humanity?”
There’s sometimes an ugly overlap between helping someone with mental health issues through consent and helping them against their will.
Anyone who has witnessed the harrowing side of severe mental health issues understands the need for sectioning powers. This legislation helps those who are a danger to themselves and maybe to others. Sectioning an individual is a last resort. It is a legal process that removes their right to liberty and brings them into care for treatment.
Sectioning sounds barbaric. But it can be done with dignity and compassion.
This is the story of a young police officer finding a human connection and building trust with a terrified mental health service user.
She was known for her propensity to violence, so the mental health officers called the local police for backup. They were on their way to the home of a lady in her early fifties; their mission was to section her under the powers of the Mental Health Act (Scotland) 2003.
Let's call this lady Angela.
