Mental health nurse named NSW Police Ku-ring-gai local area command employee of the month
Emily Knight doesn’t wear a blue uniform and she doesn’t arrest anyone, but she was named NSW Police Ku-ring-gai Local Area Command’s Employee of the Month in June.
Emily is a mental health nurse but instead of working in a hospital, she works out of the police station as part of a program to have mental health workers as first responders with police. As part of the PACER program – a collaboration with NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and NSW Health – a clinician attends with police at
the point of crisis and can assist with de-escalation, conduct a mental health assessment, offer reassurance, support and provide clinical leadership, direction and alternative approaches. “Working with Ku-ring-gai Local Area Command has been the most rewarding experience of my career,” Emily said. “The police have been very welcoming and receptive of mental health clinicians within their service; and mental health has become an integral part of their team. “They have been extremely supportive of the PACER program and have shown a keen interest to learn and enhance their mental health knowledge, including how to approach different scenarios to achieve positive outcomes.” Northern Sydney Local Health District has mental health clinicians working at Hornsby and Dee Why police stations. Being acknowledged by her police colleagues was a humbling experience, Emily said. “I feel very honoured and appreciated by my police colleagues. I have been told it is unheard of and the first police organisation,” she said. “This makes a profound achievement and humbling experience.” time a civilian was awarded the Employee of the Month within the
Mental health nurse Emily Knight
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