Police officials take a growing part in the referrals to the outreaching Emergency Psychiatry Team (EPT). In 1989, in The Hague 26% of all patients who needed help from the EPT were admitted by the police. This large group corresponds with the national tendency. The problems in Public Mental Health Care give cause for (growing) concern on a regional as well as on a national level. In this article the relation between police and the emergency service of the three RIAGGs of the city of The Hague is discussed. A description of the particular group of patients using police referrals is presented by their demographic characteristics and some variables of the assessments. Furthermore the way in which patients get in touch with the police and afterwards with the EPT is described. Finally the results are compared with findings in the relevant literature.