Hong Kong police need separate guidelines for mentally ill suspects: government adviser

Having separate guidelines on how to deal with conflicts involving mentally ill people would help Hong Kong police respond more appropriately, a government mental health adviser has said after a recent controversy over an officer who shot dead a schizophrenia patient.

Clinical psychologist Amos Cheung Chuen-yih, a member of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health, offered his suggestion on Tuesday after the patient’s widow complained about how the force had handled her husband’s violent behaviour earlier this month, calling its actions “unacceptable”.

“If there is a separate guideline, frontline police officers will be able to know how to respond more appropriately,” Cheung told a radio show.

Cheung, who is also vice-president of the Hong Kong Psychological Society, said law enforcement officers could expect to handle a growing number of cases involving mentally ill patients, given the rise of people with such conditions in recent years.

“There could be more cases involving clashes with family that require police attention,” he said.