Windsor police say continued progress is being made with its nursing and mental health partnerships.
Community referrals remain high, while emergency department visits continue to decline, thanks to the police service's Nurse Police Teams (NPT), a collaborative effort with Windsor Regional Hospital and its Crisis Response Team (CRT), which is also in partnership with Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.
The NPTs consist of nurses who ride along with officers and provide on-the-spot care, relieving pressure on hospital emergency departments.
In a progress report issued on social media Monday, Windsor police reported 444 people being diverted away from emergency departments and connecting them to the care they need, leaving officers free to deal with more life-threatening emergencies.
Nurses also treated 147 substance-related injuries on scene.
"At the Downtown Mission, NPT cared for a woman with a severe leg wound," read a video posted online. "Without NPT, she may not have looked for medical attention. Instead, she received consistent follow-up and wound care. As a result, an infection was prevented, healing supported, and her overall physical and mental health showed significant improvement."
The CRTs consist of social workers and mental health professionals who also ride along with officers, supporting mental health calls.
Since the beginning of 2025, the CRTs have taken 3,142 calls for service, allowing them to de-escalate crises and refer those in need to the right professionals.
"CRTs responded to over 2,000 people in crisis across Windsor," read the post. "Result was safer outcomes, stronger supports, and less strain on emergency services."
The NPT initiative began in January 2023 as a pilot project, running three days a week. It's since been expanded to seven days a week.
Mental health professionals have been working closely with police since 2009 through a partnership with Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, but the current CRT model began in May 2024.
