The Weyburn Police Service continues to respond to an increasing number of mental health calls each week, with 13 last week, and, of those 13, two people were taken to the hospital.
"Unfortunately, the one person was in a rather really poor state, and EMS was called right away to get them to the hospital. They ended up being okay in the end but it was a close call," shared Deputy Chief Shane St. John.
He said it's often others calling on someone else's behalf, but some call the police out of concern for their own mental health as well. Either way, police are prepared to respond.
"I'm really proud of our members for how they handle these and how they care for these people and make sure they are okay, even when they're maybe told to go away in a not quite respectful manner. They understand, and then they handle those situations really well. They just want to make sure these people are okay, and they do a great job of it, and you get pretty proficient at it when you get this many calls every week."
St. John said this type of call for police wasn't as common even just a few short years ago.
"It's a trend that isn't going to get better at all, and the resources, unfortunately, just aren't quite where they need to be for people with this type of assistance. So we fill that gap when required."
He said if someone is in serious mental distress, or they are a threat to themselves or others, police can apprehend them under the Mental Health Act and get them before a doctor.
It's not just lonely, grieving, or depressed people who may be in need of mental health assistance in our community, however. St. John said the trigger for some is coming from the technological devices creating barriers to connection and compassion.
"There are a ton of bullies on social media. We, of course, see it all the time. People have zero respect for each other online. I think that really affects a lot of people's mental health. They get down that rabbit hole, and I don't think people understand the damage they do to others, the way they treat them online."
"You would never treat people like that in person, ever. But when they're behind a phone screen or computer screen, they can do a lot of damage."
He said threats made on social media can result in charges laid under the bullying bylaw.
"You can be charged for bullying and there's a record of it, so it's there are a few tools there," he noted. "I don't think people realize the mental anguish it actually puts on somebody when people start piling on online. It can really affect them."