(AP) — The number of mental health issues Lincoln Police are dealing with is increasing significantly.

The number of mental health calls police handled grew 80 percent from 1,276 in 2001 to 2,294 last year.

Lincoln Public Safety Director Tom Casady says the dramatic increase in calls, which doesn’t include suicides or attempted suicides, is troubling.

Casady says he wonders if the statistics suggest mental health services in the community are failing to meet residents’ needs.

Casady says most of these mental health problems could be better treated by outpatient care instead of police.