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Policy: Emergency Detention
Author: Chief Joseph M. Hallman
WILEAG Standard: 6.1.11
Issue Date: March 4, 2004
Reviewed Date: April 15, 2026
Revised Date: April 15, 2026
Purpose:
The purpose of this policy is to ensure the uniform handling of all cases involving persons in mental health crisis.
Policy:
University of Wisconsin-Platteville Police Officers response to calls of persons in mental health crisis shall be in accordance with the applicable sections of Wis. Stats. §51 and §55. (6.1.11)
Definitions:
N/A
Procedures:
- When called to a person in crisis, the safety of the person in crisis, any bystanders, and the officer shall be the officer’s first priority.
- Officers should do the following:
- Request back-up if needed
- Initiate contact with body camera recording, stabilize scene
- Notify dispatch if there are injuries requiring EMS
- Advise dispatch for EMS to stage nearby until scene is safe
- Document demeanor/statements
- Evidence collection
- Medication bottles, weapons, etc.
- Discharge paperwork from prior medical or psych visits
- Interview subject
- Obtain Witness statements
- EMS transport to Southwest Health Center if there is a medical need.
- Once medical needs are met, determine what further assistance is required.
- Telephone Contact Options
- If the officer believes the subject meets criteria for a Chapter 51 detention, he/she should contact Northwest Connections (NWC) for consultation and/ or emergency detention approval.
State law requires all law enforcement personnel to obtain approval from Unified Community Services (UCS) or their contracted partner, NWC to perform an Emergency Detention. The approval is to be documented on the ME-901 Statement of Emergency Detention by Law Enforcement Officer. (An example is attached to this policy)
- Contact the appropriate Northwest Connections representative (NWC) based on the location of the incident being either;
Grant Co at 1-800-362-5717, or Lafayette Co at 1-(888) 552-6642
- The phone worker will collect some required information. They may also ask to speak directly with the patient and/or other collateral parties.
- Mobile Crisis Worker
Depending on the circumstances involved, a Mobile Crisis Worker may be dispatched to your location.
- It is mandatory to stay with the subject while the Mobile Crisis Worker is in route and during assessment, if the meeting occurs outside a hospital setting.
- Mobile Crisis Workers may assess a patient without law enforcement present at the hospital if there is not an immediate risk of safety to the Mobile Crisis Worker or hospital staff. Law enforcement may be contacted upon completion of the assessment if it is determined that a Chapter 51.15 is necessary and/or if hospital staff is requesting law enforcement presence at any time.
- Parent, spouse, legal guardians, relatives, or adult friend of the subject
- If an officer believes a subject meets the criteria for an emergency detention, and UCS and/or Northwest Connections agrees with this after phone consultation, he/she will make an effort to contact a parent, spouse, legal guardian, relative, or other adult friend of the subject, in an effort to create a safety plan, in lieu of an emergency detention.
- If the subject is uncooperative the officer will at the very least make a phone call to the guardian listed in the University PASS system. If there is no answer, the officer will leave a message to have that guardian contact our office at their earliest convenience.
- If the subject is cooperative and willing to provide a name of a parent, spouse, guardian, relative, or other adult friend that he/she would like contacted, the officer will obtain that information from the subject and contact that specific person.
- UW-Platteville Resident Hall students should not be used as a responsible party for a safety plan.
- If the officer is making a phone call to Northwest Connections as an outreach for resources, possible services and/or giving the subject the opportunity to speak with a counselor at the time of the incident, that officer will use his/her discretion on whether he/she thinks that a phone call to a parent, legal guardian, or relative is necessary or justified.
- The officer will explain in a detailed incident report on the reasons:
- For the phone call to Northwest Connections
- For not contacting a parent, spouse, guardian, relative, or other adult friend
- If during the incident, the officer determines the subject does not meet the criteria for an emergency detention and the officer is not seeking additional information or services, no phone call to Northwest Connections by the officer is necessary. The officer will use discretion on whether he/she thinks that a phone call to a parent, spouse, or legal guardian is necessary or justified. The officer may provide the subject the phone number for Northwest Connections, Unified Counseling Services, or UW-Platteville Counseling Services as a future resource.
- Emergency Detention Options (Agreement between Officer and UCS/NWC representative)
The least restrictive option must be utilized in providing care and treatment.
- Tiers of Restriction
- Patient released
- Patient released with crisis stabilization, which may include telephone check in(s) with selected support person.
- Release to qualified responsible party (parent, spouse, legal guardian, relative, or adult friend)
- If a parent, spouse, legal guardian, relative, or adult friend will take responsibility for the subject and a safety plan is in place, with the approval of UCS, the subject can be released to such a party.
- UW-Platteville Resident Hall Students
- If the determination results in a safety plan in lieu of a Chapter 51 Emergency Detention, UW-Platteville Resident Hall students should not be used as a responsible party for the care and/or supervision of the patient under this policy.
- Voluntary admission to Mental Health Facility
- If the subject is willing to do a voluntary admission to a mental health facility, officers may transport the person to an accepting facility, if no other transportation options are available, AND there is sufficient staffing to make the transport.
- Unified Counseling Services should be billed for officer time and mileage for these voluntary transports.
- Involuntary admission to Mental Health Facility
- If the subject meets the criteria for an Emergency Detention and none of the diversion methods listed above can be arranged, the subject will be taken to the appropriate mental health facility.
- Incidents not meeting Emergency Detention Criteria
- If no grounds for a Chapter 51.15 Emergency Detention or a NWC safety plan in lieu of an emergency detention exist, but either the subject or the officer feels that it would be beneficial for the subject to not be alone, the subject may contact a parent, spouse, legal guardian, or other adult, including a UW-Platteville student and make arrangements to stay with that person, or have the person come to the subject’s location and stay there.
- Wis. Stat. 51.45 Incapacitated by Alcohol hold (Detox)
- Incapacitation hold should only be used if the person, as a result of the use of or withdrawal from alcohol, is unconscious or has his/her judgment otherwise so impaired that he or she is incapable of making a rational decision.
- If 51.45 criteria are met and all lesser restrictive options have been examined, a 51.45 Detox Proceeding should be completed. (Reference Policy “Detox”)
- Transport to Facility
- Obtain the NWC on-call worker giving approval and enter that information in the appropriate area of the ME-901 form along with the date and time of approval, this begins the 72-hour clock.
- Southwest Health Center will contact the facility to make sure there will be a bed available.
- Contact a UW Platteville Officer to transport if working the shift alone.
- If needed or required, contact a supervisor for questions or concerns.
- Reports & Completed Forms
- The police officer will be required to complete the Statement of Emergency Detention Form. A form for use in Grant County and Lafayette County has been provided to choose the correct form. The initial Officer will complete and sign the form and provide the original to the transporting officer to take to the secure facility to copy, and return to our Office for filing.
- The original Statement of Emergency Detention will be electronically filed with the court by the Corporation Counsel through email.
- If the police officer is returning to Platteville during normal business hours, the original form should be emailed to the Corporation Counsel prior to his/her return. After normal business hours, the transporting Officer will return and must scan the form, and email it to the distribution list below, prior to the end of his or her shift.
- The primary officer will complete the case report as soon as possible, no later than twenty-four hours from the time of the detention. The report will be provided to UCS at their request in the event of a commitment hearing.
- The Statement of Emergency Detention form will be sent to the appropriate UCS and the Corporation Counsel via email to:
GRANT COUNTY
Laurie Ackerman lackerman@woodlawgrantco.com.
Ben Wood bwood@woodlawgrantco.com
Amanda Schroeder aschroeder@unifiedservices.org
Sydney Adamson sadamson@unifiedservices.org
Riley Mills rmills@unifiedservices.org
LAFAYETTE COUNTY
Corinne Frutiger cfrutiger@lchsd.org
Shane Schumacher sschuhmacher@lchsd.org
Amy Thompson athompson@lchsd.org
Amy Thomas athomas@lchsd.org
- The original Statement of Emergency Detention will be filed in our incident report filing cabinet. This original can be provided to a supervisor for filing.
- Confidentiality of Written Documents
- The process, information obtained, and any records created or obtained shall be considered confidential in nature and not subject to disclosure except as provided under Ch. 51 or otherwise required by law.