From crisis to care: Nurse Police Team works to improve police response times, reduce burden on emergency departments

WINDSOR POLICE NEWS RELEASE
From crisis to care: Nurse Police Team works to improve police response times, reduce burden on emergency departments

The Nurse Police Team (NPT) continues to impact how our community responds to people struggling with mental health and substance use challenges. Two years after its launch, the program has contributed to both improving police response times and reducing the burden on overcrowded emergency departments.

A partnership between the Windsor Police Service and Windsor Regional Hospital, the NPT pairs frontline police officers with registered nurses to respond to calls for service involving mental health and substance use challenges. The program aims to divert individuals away from the criminal justice system and hospital emergency departments by providing proactive healthcare and support services.

Combined community impact

The initiative’s impact on the community has been significant. Since the start of 2024, the NPT has responded to 3,118 calls for service and diverted 891 people away from the emergency department. The team has also treated 226 substance-related wounds, administered 44 lifesaving doses of naloxone, and connected 605 people with community resources.

The demand for the NPT’s services continues to grow. In the first three months of 2025, specialized team members handled 619 calls for service – a 48% increase compared to the same period last year.

Improving police operational efficiency

The NPT program is not only making our community safer but is also helping Windsor Police Service officers do their jobs more safely and efficiently.

By taking proactive steps to help individuals in need of support services, Windsor Police have freed up vital resources to focus on response to crime, crime prevention and public safety. As a result, response times to priority one incidents have improved by over 30% since the program launched. (“Priority one response time” measures how long it takes police to respond to the most urgent calls, including life-threatening situations.)  

“Some of the most frequent types of calls for service we receive deal with mental health and substance use crises. Through the NPT program, we are providing people in need with immediate, efficient support and access to ongoing care,” said Windsor Police Chief Jason Bellaire. “This means officers are dealing with these same individuals less often and reducing potential for confrontation by connecting individuals in need with appropriate services. Also, we are making fewer hospital trips, enabling us to streamline our operations and achieve greater outcomes for our community.”

Alleviating the burden on hospital emergency departments

Windsor Regional Hospital has seen the benefits of the NPT program whereby individuals who previously required frequent emergency department (ED) visits are now seen in the community instead. The number of ED frequent users (patients who have a much higher than average number of ED visits within a 30-day period) has decreased by 25% over the last eight months.

As an example, one individual who made 50 ED visits between November 2024 and January 2025 required only two visits between February and April 2025, as they are now connected to community addiction support resources.

“We continue to see very positive results through our collaboration with Windsor Police Service,” said Karen Riddell, Acting President and CEO, Windsor Regional Hospital. “This partnership is a unique and innovative approach to providing care for those in need throughout our community, providing an alternative to the emergency department.”