Rochester Police are announcing more department policy changes.
Today police announced changes to the Mental Hygiene Detention policy and the de-escalation policy.
Under the new mental hygiene policy, officers will assess the need for additional assistance to help with de-escalating a situation in which a person is having a mental health crisis, and should contact either the City of Rochester Person in Crisis Team or the Monroe County Forensic Intervention Team.
Under the de-escalation policy, officers will be encouraged to use de-escalation techniques when it is safe to do so, to prevent and minimize the need to use force.
The policies take effect immediately.