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We have some level of training at my level (EMT), and the paramedics I work with have more. But the stuff we're expected to cover is really broad - anything from a sexual assault victim and preserving evidence to your garden variety suicidal ideation. So given our role it's mainly geared towards identifying potential medical causes for their behavior. The best thing we can do for a patient is keep an open mind to why they're acting strangely. It could be an infection, stroke, overdose, withdrawal syndrome, postictal state after a seizure, tons of stuff.

My point is that even the best training probably won't make the tradeoff of not having law enforcement on scene worth it. Patients with the kinds of issues I listed above - they tend not to respond to being talked down. No amount of babying is going to make the person who's been high on meth and awake for 4 days straight stop seeing the shadow people.




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