The duty of the police in protecting the community goes beyond law enforcement. They also provide welfare check services to ensure the well-being of people who may be at risk or distressed, usually at the request of their friends, neighbors, or family. Welfare checks used to be a service for the safety of older people. However, with the growing number of young adults going through major depression and other mental health crises, welfare checks have now become crucial for people of all ages.
Also known as police wellness checks, welfare checks are important in many situations. For instance, people may request police welfare checks for their loved ones if they suddenly become inaccessible or unreachable, especially for someone they regularly hear from or see. Similarly, if someone who has repeatedly expressed suicidal thoughts stops answering their phones or responding to messages, their loved ones may call the police and request a welfare check. A police wellness check may also be necessary if anyone notices unusual or suspicious activities in a neighbor's house, especially if considered a substantial risk to life or injury to that person or other people around.
What Is a Welfare Check?
A welfare check is a call made by a concerned person for police help to ascertain the welfare of a person or a group of persons, either in their homes or public places. It is an excellent way of ensuring people's well-being, particularly the community's vulnerable ones. Typically, police officers do not act in a law enforcement role or capacity when conducting welfare checks. Rather, they act in the role of community assistance.
A police welfare check is sometimes called a well-being check or wellness check. As such, law enforcement agencies typically ensure the well-being and safety of individuals whenever there are concerns that they may be unable to care for themselves, ill, or in danger. Considering its role in protecting vulnerable people and maintaining public safety, a police wellness check is considered a vital aspect of community policing. It helps build trust between the community and law enforcement.
The importance of police welfare checks cannot be overemphasized, particularly for the disabled, people with significant mental health challenges, and those vulnerable due to old age. Such individuals often find themselves in environments or situations where their well-being is compromised and, in some cases, are isolated and unable to communicate their pressing needs. However, police wellness checks provide a safety net for these individuals, ensuring they are safe while acknowledging the need for their privacy.
How Does a Welfare Check Work?
Typically, the first step to requesting a police welfare check is to contact a local law enforcement agency, which may either be a police department or a county sheriff's office. However, before contacting the police, reach out to the person whose safety is of great concern first to check on them. When contact cannot be established, a person should immediately consider calling the local police department at their non-emergency number to request a police wellness check. Consider calling the local law enforcement agency's emergency phone line or 911 if the situation is an immediate emergency or a case of imminent risk.
During the conversation with the wellness check police, explain the situation and provide as much information as possible, including the exact address to visit. A detailed description of the person who needs the welfare check, including their last known location and any relevant concerns or history, should also be given to the wellness check police. If requesting a police wellness check for a mental health risk, make sure to state this clearly. While it is the responsibility of the local law enforcement agency to conduct a welfare check after contacting them, following up on them to ensure that the check was done and the situation or concern has been addressed is not out of place. It is also important to remain available to answer any follow-up questions from law enforcement, considering this may help expedite the checks.
When there are multiple calls or requests for police welfare checks, the police prioritize them based on a couple of things, including the following:
- There is an immediate and substantial risk of serious injury or risk to life to the vulnerable person or others around them.
- The wellness check police officer reasonably believes that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering immediate and significant harm.
- There are reasonable grounds to believe that a crime has been committed, is being committed, or is imminent.
Who Can Request a Welfare Check?
Family, neighbors, colleagues, and friends may request welfare checks for persons or loved ones who suddenly or unexpectedly stop making contact or answering their phones for a prolonged period. While there are usually no legal repercussions in most places for contacting the police to request a wellness check when not required, doing this can strain the police resources. However, there may be legal penalties when there is a repeated false call for police checks. Such action may be considered an abuse of emergency services. Hence, before requesting a police well-being check, be sure there is an actual need for the service.
The Process Law Enforcement Follows When Conducting a Welfare Check.
Police wellness checks are governed by certain standard operating procedures that should be observed to ensure that welfare checks are conducted legally and ethically. Typically, when a local law enforcement officer receives a police welfare check request, they may ask additional questions to help them assess the situation. Afterward, the officer will evaluate the information provided and determine the urgency of that request. If the circumstance needs a well-being check, the police department or county sheriff's office will dispatch a wellness check police officer to the location where their service is needed. Depending on the severity of the situation, more than one officer may be dispatched to that location. However, they are expected to attempt to make contact with the person who needs help, establish their location, and confirm they are breathing, alive, and conscious.
When the dispatched officers arrive at the location of the individual needing help, they will ring the bell or knock on the door to announce their arrival. Afterward, one of two things will happen. The person of concern will answer the door safely and unharmed, or nobody will answer. Generally, officers should approach each wellness check from the standpoint of prioritizing the dignity and humanity of the persons of concern. This will help ensure that interactions are constructive and respectful, ultimately reducing the potential for distress or conflict. Wellness check police officers must also understand that legal considerations are essential and are expected to navigate all privacy law-related issues.
Possible Outcomes of a Welfare Check
There are two possible outcomes when a welfare check police officer arrives at the scene of a well-being check and rings the bell or knocks on the door. The door is either answered or not. If the door is answered and the person is fine, they will explain why they have isolated themselves and been unreachable. If the officers can ascertain that the individual is fine, they will inform the person who called for a police check that the person of concern is safe and unharmed to relieve their concern. However, the person of concern may respond and ask the officers to leave if they are held hostage. This is where it is important for anyone requesting a police welfare check to give the police detailed information.
If nobody answers the door, the officers will identify themselves as law enforcement agents and give the person on the other side of the door another opportunity to respond and answer the door. This gives them probable cause that the person of concern is either unable to answer or unconscious. If they get no response, they may walk around the premises to determine if anything is unusual or out of place. Also, they may look around for windows or doors to see if there is any unlocked point of entry that will give them access to the residence. If there is none, waiting to get approval or a warrant to enter may worsen the situation. In this situation, the officers may use their discretion and forcibly enter without consent.
In any of the possible outcomes, if the officers find that the person of concern is injured, unconscious, ill, or in a mental health or physical crisis, they may provide emergency medical care. Depending on the severity of the person's condition, the officers may also alert first responders immediately for medical assistance or social services in the case of mental health crises. However, if it is a case of foul play, law enforcement will begin a criminal investigation immediately.
When Should You Request a Welfare Check?
Many situations may warrant requesting a police well-being check. However, in most cases, it is because someone is worried about another person, and such concerns may stem from the other person's disability, nonresponsiveness, and mental health. The worries may also be a result of medical concerns, weather emergencies, and suspicious situations. The following are some of the common scenarios for which people may request police welfare checks:
- Someone has been unresponsive or cannot be reached after repeated tries, which may indicate trouble.
- If a person has reason to believe that someone they know has a mental illness and has repeatedly expressed suicidal thoughts or contemplated suicide.
- People who have older adults who live alone can request welfare checks, especially if they are worried about what they could be going through. Usually, when older adults who live alone get hurt or become sick, it may take several days before anyone notices. With a well-being check, their loved ones could get reassurance that such a person of concern is safe.
- Someone who is known to be depressed fails to answer their phones and fails to return phone calls and texts, especially if the concerned person knows they are indoors but not answering the door either.
- Someone's colleague has a terminal illness and did not show up at the office without calling in sick, and to make matters worse, the person is not answering their phone or replying to texts.
- A person recently showed signs of unusual behavior. For instance, someone who is known for checking their mail at a particular time of the day or who usually goes for a morning run suddenly stops doing so, and there are no traces or signs of them in the neighborhood.
After a weather emergency, to ensure that affected or vulnerable persons are well and safe.
Legal Considerations and Privacy Concerns
Although a welfare check is primarily done to ensure public safety, certain legal and ethical standards must be considered when conducting a wellness check. Generally, law enforcement officers must be able to balance the need for public safety with individual rights and privacy. Police wellness checks typically involve entering people's homes or private property, which always raises privacy concerns. However, law enforcement officers are permitted to enter someone's property without a warrant or consent for a welfare check if they have reasonable reasons to believe the person of concern is in immediate danger.
Although an officer may force entry without a warrant to conduct a welfare check, the person of concern still has a right. For instance, depending on the situation, they may stop the officer by stepping outside their residence. Afterward, they may close the door and assure the wellness police that they are fine while stating their refusal to let the officer in. If they determine that the person of concern or other people around are not in danger, the officer may leave.
Where the use of force is required to enter an apartment for a welfare check, only the minimum force necessary should be used. This should typically be a last resort as the authorities do not take forcible entrance into a property lightly. It is the responsibility of a wellness police officer to act in the best interest of the person of concern. Generally, an officer is expected to provide the necessary assistance and maintain utmost confidentiality. When a police check uncovers an illegal activity or other concerns, law enforcement will initiate a criminal investigation immediately.
What Happens After a Welfare Check?
If a welfare check reveals that the person of concern is well and in good health, the wellness police officer will notify the individual who requested the check of the person's safety. However, if the person of interest is found to be ill, deceased, or injured, the police will request medical aid or provide immediate medical assistance. They will also contact the requester to show up at the scene if the person is in that locality and only when the police have secured the scene. In instances of mental illness, the police will assess the situation and may refer such persons to community support or mental health services.
The benefits of police well-being checks are beyond the immediate safety of individuals. Welfare checks have become a critical component of community policing, fostering a sense of mutual respect and trust. In addition, police wellness checks enhance the overall relationship between the community and law enforcement and ensure the well-being of people, particularly older adults who live alone.
It is important to request police welfare checks for loved ones, especially vulnerable ones, when they become unresponsive or if there are other safety concerns. Welfare checks verify that a person is well and safe. They also ensure that the safety and health of such people are being monitored and that their loved ones do not forget them.
