Written by Marika Kontellis, EO, Inner Sydney Voice
We extend our condolences to the partner, family, friends, and neighbours of Collin Burling. His tragic death during a “welfare check” in Waterloo on Tuesday should never have happened.
Collin had called for help. Concerned about carbon monoxide in his Pitt Street apartment, paramedics were dispatched in case of poisoning. Police arrived soon after. Though he had been searched and was not under arrest, the situation escalated. Video footage shows him asking officers to “back it up”, saying, “I’m not a threat,” and later, “I can’t breathe.” Moments later, he was unconscious.
His partner, Taite Collins, said he couldn’t bring himself to watch the footage again. What he witnessed was deeply distressing: Collin pleading for his life, having done “nothing wrong.” He now says that something in the system must change.
Not only have our systems failed Mr Burling and his loved ones, they have also failed the police officers who were called to conduct the welfare check. And they fail every officer sent to the frontline to support people at their most vulnerable, without the tools, training, or support to de-escalate complex situations.
Sadly, this is not an isolated event. People living with mental ill health in our city need care and protection, not policing, restraint or incarceration. This latest tragedy urges us to rethink our responses and ask: What does safety look like in a compassionate community?
This death comes almost two years to the day that Jesse Deacon was shot and killed by police during a mental health episode in public housing in Glebe. Some in our region will also remember the tragic death of Roni Levi, a French freelance photographer who, while experiencing a mental health episode, was shot and killed by police at Bondi Beach in 1997.
These deaths expose the cracks in our policing, health and care systems, especially the lack of adequate support and training for our first responders.
Police officers are regularly asked to respond to complex health crises without the clinical backup, mental health knowledge or trauma-informed training they need. An independent investigation following Jesse Deacon’s death found that NSW Police receive no mandatory mental health training after graduating from the academy. Mental health clinicians stationed at police commands are not allowed to intervene once an incident is escalated to a “police operation.” Programs like PACER, which pair police with trained mental health workers, are limited in scope and not available 24/7.
We need place-based, culturally appropriate training for first responders, developed and delivered with local professionals and people with lived experience of mental illness and a nuanced understanding of the communities. This ongoing, mandatory training should challenge stigma, build understanding and provide practical tools for safe, compassionate de-escalation. Supporting frontline workers means preparing them for the reality they face, rather than leaving them to improvise in moments of crisis.
Mr Burling’s death is now subject to a critical incident investigation; the formal term used when a person dies or is seriously injured during a police operation. There are currently more than 25 of these investigations underway across NSW. According to NSW Police Force guidelines, these inquiries consider whether officers acted lawfully and reasonably, whether they followed relevant legislation and policies, whether any complaints were raised, and whether there is evidence of misconduct.
This is necessary, but it’s not enough. Investigations must go beyond the actions of individual officers and examine the broader systems around them (training, staffing, clinical support, supervision and resourcing). Most importantly, these investigations must be led by an independent third party. Police should not be investigating police. The purpose of any critical incident review is to reduce the risk of it happening again.
Inner Sydney is home to diverse communities and rates of mental illness, housing stress and homelessness, above the national average. It’s also a region where many people live with isolation and loneliness. It is a geographic area that needs attention. This context matters.
We need a system that prioritises care over crisis. That means investing in community-based mental health services, expanding early response programs, and ensuring that first responders are equipped to support, not harm, people in distress.
If this article has raised distressing issues for you or someone you know, support is available.
- Lifeline: Offers 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services (13 11 14).
- Beyond Blue: Provides support and resources for anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions (1300 22 4636).
- Suicide Call Back Service: Offers 24/7 support for those experiencing suicidal thoughts (1300 659 467).
- Kids Helpline: Provides support for children and young people (1800 551 800).
- Mensline Australia: Offers support for men’s mental health (1300 789 978).
- 13YARN: Provides support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (13 92 76).