Mental health incidents
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/008372/Y
Version Date: 08/07/2025
The Performance & Analysis Department has provided the following information.
Data Source:
Force incident recording system - Storm
Data Processing:
Qliksense Incidents Report
Filtered on incidents Created Date: 01/04/2020 - 31/12/2024
Filtered on Mental Health Flag: Yes
Caveats/Limitations
Qliksense Incidents Report is not available before 01/04/2020*.
The Force incident recording system - Storm does not record age and gender, we are therefore unable to provide the breadowns as requested.
Can you provide annual data from 2014-2024, for police contacts logged as 'Mental Health', categorised by age and gender.
|
The total number of incidents created by Devon & Cornwall police between 01/04/2020* - 31/12/2024 which have a Mental Health flag |
|
|
Calendar Year |
Number of Mental Health Incidents |
|
2020* |
9,352 |
|
2021 |
11,325 |
|
2022 |
46,456 |
|
2023 |
67,631 |
|
2024 |
68,527 |
|
Total |
203,291 |
Please note:
As of 19/05/2022 there was a change in recording practice in the control room when flagging Mental Health related incidents. As well as the option to add a closing category of Mental Health, they introduced a separate M/Health flag. Alongside the introduction of this flag, they promoted its use and re-emphasised to the operators when it should be used.
This has resulted in a significant increase in the number of incidents flagged as Mental Health.
The Mental Health Flag in the Qlik Incident reports is picking up both the Mental
Health Closing Category and the new flag.
This process change means that the data before and after is not comparable.
However, following the change we now have a much more accurate reflection of incidents that are mental health related.