A police force claimed that its plans to alter how it handled calls relating to mental health did not involve "stepping away from people in need.".
The chief of the Staffordshire Police claimed that instead of fighting crime, officers were spending too much time caring for the weak.
It happens at a time when the Met Police is under fire for its decision to stop responding to emergency mental health calls.
Chris Noble, the chief constable for Staffordshire, stated that "something had to change.".
It greatly irritates him that his officers frequently spend more time on a shift in an A&E department caring for a vulnerable person than they do providing care for children, visiting victims of domestic abuse, or actively fighting crime.
If policing is to be allowed to concentrate on crime and disorder, "something has to change. ".
When the Met made similar plans public last week, there were worries that if officers did respond, it would leave a "vacuum.".
The top police officer in Staffordshire, however, claimed that police were "not best equipped" to handle incidents involving mental health and would instead direct people to better support.
"Police won't be hanging up the phone. However, we will be choosing the best organization to take over those responsibilities, according to Mr. Noble.
It may actually take more time in our contact center to carefully go over each person's story and vulnerabilities before directing them in the right direction.
It's definitely not turning away from those who are in need.
"Hopefully, this will free up more time for our local officers to deal with crime and disorder.
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