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Calgary police are expanding a pilot project aimed at reducing the number of apprehensions under the Mental Health Act.

The Calgary police commission heard Tuesday that a mental-health consultation line offered as a pilot project in District 2 received 51 calls from officers between Oct. 19 and Nov. 30, and resulted in the diversion of 17 “Form 10s,” or apprehensions under Section 12 of the Mental Health Act.

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The section of the act gives officers the authority to apprehend and convey a person to a health facility for examination if the officer has grounds to believe the person is suffering from a mental-health disorder and is likely to cause harm to themselves or others, or to suffer substantial deterioration.

The pilot project gives officers a way to speak directly with a mental-health professional, through Alberta Health Services’ Mobile Response Team.

Interim police Chief Steve Barlow said the effort is about making sure that police “are bringing the right people to the hospital.”