The Los Angeles City Controller’s Office made several findings about police responses to mental health crisis calls, including that patrol officers often are first to respond to calls for service instead of the department’s mental health teams.

That should change, according to an assessment released this week.

L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia said in a statement that the LAPD should revise its policy to allow the department’s SMART units — short for Systemwide Mental Assessment Response Teams — “to lead responses in mental health-related calls that don't involve weapons.”

LAist has reached out to the police department for comment.

The assessment makes several recommendations about police responses to mental health crises and comes several years after former police Chief Michel Moore

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