To wonder why police were called to a person passed out in a park

[Angryparent78]

Surely it’s just a medical emergency

They may have been close by and are able to give first aid.

It could be any number of things - the result of an assault, an overdose, suicide attempt - all matters that the police would need to investigate. Given the ambulance response delays, a police attendance may also have been quicker.

Because the ambulance service would have graded it a category 3 or 4 and had no one to send. The police quite often attend medical emergencies because someone should and there is a massive shortage of ambulances, or they're stacked up in the ambulance bays waiting to deposit patients at a&e. Likewise for mental health patients who are in their own home and where police have no powers. The budget cuts to other services mean there are very few police free to detect/prevent crime.

Around here, the fire service sometimes attend medical emergencies, which makes sense as they have medical equipment on board and some will have medical training. It's a good compromise to stabilise a patient until a delayed ambulance arrives.

Lady in the park by me is frequently gouched out (often lying down and looks unconscious) after heroin use or semi concious after heavy drinking. It tends to be police not paramedics (if anyone) who come to help.

From talking to her, she has a traumatic life and a good relationship with the local coppers. They help her, check she's ok, check she's safe (DV relationship), get her up on her feet and try to her her moving. She doesn't need medical help right then, just help in general.

I have also had friends in the past who were arrested after fights. Tended to be the police there far before paramedics, even if people were unconcious.

Perhaps because of the level of people self-isolating, police are able to attend first.

Is this you/your DC again? If so, given their mental health issues, police were appropriate.

This happened to a friends son recently. The ambulance came and then notified the police as they were all very obviously underage.

Quite common. Concern for person calls are routinely handled by the police in this way. In some cases it's not a medical incident (someone just drunk, for example, might not need to be attended to by medical personnel), and in some cases the person might be violent or have been a victim of crime themselves. Police also tend to get there as a first responder faster too and it avoids tying up an ambulance as one might not be needed.

I've had a first responder from the fire service attend befire when I called an ambulance. Maybe they just sent who was near by. Police are first aid trained aren't they? Maybe they needed ti make the situation safe first as paramedics can't attend until safe to do so ?

Maybe someone saw the passed out person, posted on here for advice and were advised to log it with 101.
Because that seems to be the usual advice!

This is the ‘why would police ask someone to remove their hood on a welfare check’ poster isn’t it.

Last year I called the police because a bloke was passed out in a local park with a syringe next to him. There were littke kids everywhere and I felt the whole situation was dangerous.

Because usually some concerned member of the public usually calls in stating there’s someone collapsed in a park , and they don’t / won’t go any closer to check. So then police don’t know whether they’re drunk , drugged , or have been bashed over the head, which means they have to go and find out. You’d be quite pissed off if your relative was a victim of assault and police didn’t turn up because they thought there were just drunk . That would be a whole load of ammo for the DM , wouldn’t it ?

No idea without knowing more details.

@Ghosttile

This is the ‘why would police ask someone to remove their hood on a welfare check’ poster isn’t it.

Yes, it is.

Who do you want them to call? The ghostbusters?

I don't think it matters who responds, so long as someone who is in a position to arrange help is there as quickly as possible.

I think watching various shows the are now all multi skilled.

Because the Police are the catch all service to plug many gaps sadly in other area services even though they themselves are also stretched. It was the Police who rescued those children from the explosion in South London a couple of weeks ago before the fire service arrived.

Weren't police the first attenders at the poisoning of the Skripals when they were found in the park?

It seems quite normal for me for the police to attend an emergency in a public space, even if to just keep order for the paramedics.

I needed an ambulance in the early hours of this morning - referred through 111 who told us that ambulances aim to be there within 18 minutes. We live a four minute drive from the hospital but the ambulance took almost four hours - they were so busy. I'd have very much appreciated a police officer attend because they have medical training and can make contact.

@ClaudiaWankleman

Weren't police the first attenders at the poisoning of the Skripals when they were found in the park?

It seems quite normal for me for the police to attend an emergency in a public space, even if to just keep order for the paramedics.

Yes, it was, you're right.

Generally, I also think it is the normal thing these days. In our nearby city it's often the Police who are there first and they can summon the Paramedics if necessary. There are Police or PCSOs on the beat out and about and/or able to respond more quickly if needed, rather than an ambulance and two Paramedics.

On the unlikely offchance that I was in a state in a park, I would be grateful if a Police officer came to help me. Or anyone well-intentioned.

To rule out foul play.