The vigil held for Zodoq Obatolah last weekend was not only a heartfelt tribute to a man who died in tragic circumstances, but also raises important questions about who responds to mental health crises.
In the early hours of April 12, police were called to the Rye Hill Estate to reports that a man was threatening to jump off his balcony. By 3.30am, Mr Obatolah had fallen five-storeys to his death. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has now said evidence suggests a Taser was discharged “shortly before” Zodoq fell.
With a criminal investigation underway, it’s important we let the authorities gather the facts before making any judgements about this individual case. But nonetheless, it’s right that activists are questioning whether police are best placed to respond to mental health crises, something they and the Met Police both agree on. In situations like these, it seems obvious that a healthcare professional should be on the scene, even if they are supported by police.
However, with the Met already dialing down its responsiveness to mental health callouts, we do risk seeing a vacuum where nobody responds to mental health call-outs. Mental health care services are stretched as it is. Can they really be expected to plug a void left by police? As always, it comes down to funding and resources. Will the government give our public services the backing they need, or will vulnerable people pay the price of political inertia?