Study protocol and stakeholder perceptions of a randomized controlled trial of a co-response police-mental health team

Describe the development, results, and stakeholder perceptions of randomization procedures for determining outcomes of a co-response police-mental health team. We present randomization results using the CONSORT diagram and report on three semi-structured focus groups with eight co-response team members, including police officers, mental health clinicians, and program leaders. Study procedures resulted in randomization of 686 co-response team-eligible calls for service to either receive a co-response team (treatment group, n = 376) or police-as-usual response (control group, n = 310). Focus groups revealed lessons for randomization of a co-response team, including the importance of the researcher-practitioner partnership, considerations for study site selection and staffing, and suggestions to proactively address ethical concerns of randomizing calls for service. Rigorous evaluation of alternative policing programs is possible through randomization at the call-for-service level, provided researchers and program stakeholders work together to determine feasible procedures.