Quote:
Originally Posted by PepsiFree
As far as the 911 call, it was for a welfare check, not someone running around with a knife. If that’s not the situation to bring in people actually trained to help, what is?
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I think that part of the problem is with definitions here. A wellness check (or in CPS parlance, a "Check on the Welfare") type call is a very broad and open ended type of call.
It's not quite the "I have no idea what is going on, police should go check it out" (That's Misc/Misc) but it's a single step above that. Honestly, the only real difference between Misc/Misc and Check on the Welfare is that with CotW there is usually a person involved while Misc/Misc is property based.
Generalized examples of CotW calls:
I drove by on Deerfoot and saw someone sitting underneath the overpass bridge. Can you check on them?
I saw someone sleeping in the shade under a tree. I thought someone should check on them.
I saw someone laying face down. I'm worried they may be hurt. Can you check on them?
I was talking to my friend on the telephone, and they stopped responding to me. It sounds like the phone is still off the hook! Can you go see what happened?
I haven't talked to my friend in a week, and we usually talk every day. Can you pop by and make sure everything is alright?
The last time I talked to my friend, they said some worrying things. Can you go make sure they are ok?
My friend and I got in a fight, and he drove off really angry at me. Can you find him?
I saw two people fighting in a car as we were stopped for the light. Can you find them and make sure she's not hurt?
Someone's running around the street, waving their arms and shouting at the sky. Can you come and tell them to be quiet, I'm trying to sleep.
Someone's sitting on the park bench, and has been there for the last 6 hours. Can you move them out of my park?
There's a tent with 2-3 homeless people in it by the river. They really shouldn't be doing that, we have a Drop In Center for a reason. Can you take them there?
I would imagine it's much the same for most PD's. Most PD's kind of look at Wellness checks like a box of chocolates...you never know what you are gonna get until you get there and start dealing with it.