K.S.A. » Chapter 59
Kansas Statutes Annotated

K.S.A. § 59-2953 (2026)

Investigation; emergency detention; authority and duty of law enforcement officers

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59-2953. Investigation; emergency detention; authority and duty of law enforcement officers. (a) Any law enforcement officer who has a reasonable belief formed upon investigation that a person is a mentally ill person and because of such person's mental illness is likely to cause harm to self or others if allowed to remain at liberty may take the person into custody without a warrant. If the officer is in a crisis intervention center service area, as defined in K.S.A. 59-29c02, and amendments thereto, the officer may transport the person to such crisis intervention center. If the officer is not in a crisis intervention service area, as defined in K.S.A. 59-29c02, and amendments thereto, or does not choose to transport the person to such crisis intervention center, then the officer shall transport the person to a treatment facility where the person shall be examined by a physician or psychologist on duty at the treatment facility, except that no person shall be transported to a state psychiatric hospital for examination, unless a written statement from a qualified mental health professional authorizing such an evaluation at a state psychiatric hospital has been obtained. If no physician or psychologist is on duty at the time the person is transported to the treatment facility, the person shall be examined within a reasonable time not to exceed 17 hours. If a written statement is made by the physician or psychologist at the treatment facility that after preliminary examination the physician or psychologist believes the person likely to be a mentally ill person subject to involuntary commitment for care and treatment and because of the person's mental illness is likely to cause harm to self or others if allowed to remain at liberty, and if the treatment facility is willing to admit the person, the law enforcement officer shall present to the treatment facility the application provided for in K.S.A. 59-2954(b), and amendments thereto. If the physician or psychologist on duty at the treatment facility does not believe the person likely to be a mentally ill person subject to involuntary commitment for care and treatment the law enforcement officer shall return the person to the place where the person was taken into custody and release the person at that place or at another place in the same community as requested by the person or if the law enforcement officer believes that it is not in the best interests of the person or the person's family or the general public for the person to be returned to the place the person was taken into custody, then the person shall be released at another place the law enforcement officer believes to be appropriate under the circumstances. The person may request to be released immediately after the examination, in which case the law enforcement officer shall immediately release the person, unless the law enforcement officer believes it is in the best interests of the person or the person's family or the general public that the person be taken elsewhere for release.

(b) If the physician or psychologist on duty at the treatment facility states that, in the physician's or psychologist's opinion, the person is likely to be a mentally ill person subject to involuntary commitment for care and treatment but the treatment facility is unwilling to admit the person, the treatment facility shall nevertheless provide a suitable place at which the person may be detained by the law enforcement officer. If a law enforcement officer detains a person pursuant to this subsection, the law enforcement officer shall file the petition provided for in K.S.A. 59-2957(a), and amendments thereto, by the close of business of the first day that the district court is open for the transaction of business or shall release the person. No person shall be detained by a law enforcement officer pursuant to this subsection in a nonmedical facility used for the detention of persons charged with or convicted of a crime.

History: L. 1996, ch. 167, § 9; L. 1998, ch. 134, § 40; L. 2017, ch. 77, § 18; July 1.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 2006–2008 · leading case: Est. of Pemberton v. John's Sports Ctr., Inc., 135 P.3d 174 (Kan. Ct. App. 2006).
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Est. of Pemberton v. John's Sports Ctr., Inc., 135 P.3d 174 (Kan. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 2× “K.S.A. 59-2953. A facility seeking to admit and detain a person for emergency observation can obtain an ex parte emergency custody order issued by the district court or upon a written application of a law enforcement officer.”
State v. Jeffery, 173 P.3d 1156 (Kan. Ct. App. 2008). “See K.S.A. 59-2953(a). There was no emergency need to clear Jeffery’s apartment of items that he might use to harm himself when he returned from the mental-health evaluation.”
Attorney Gen. Opinion No. (Kan. Att'y Gen. 2008). “If, after the preliminary examination, the individual is determined to require involuntary commitment, the officer "having custody of that person pursuant to K.S.A. 59-2953" must prepare an application for the treatment facility.”
K.S.A. § 59-2953(a): 2 cases
Est. of Pemberton v. John's Sports Ctr., Inc., 135 P.3d 174 (Kan. Ct. App. 2006). “K.S.A. 59-2953. A facility seeking to admit and detain a person for emergency observation can obtain an ex parte emergency custody order issued by the district court or upon a written application of a law enforcement officer.”
State v. Jeffery, 173 P.3d 1156 (Kan. Ct. App. 2008). “See K.S.A. 59-2953(a). There was no emergency need to clear Jeffery’s apartment of items that he might use to harm himself when he returned from the mental-health evaluation.”
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