Specialized Training Helps Officers Respond to Mental Health Calls
Quick decision-making skills are often necessary for a police officer to assess their surroundings and diffuse a tense situation. Regular training and practice help officers feel confident in using sound judgment, even under the most hectic circumstances.
The Salida Police Department regularly invests in its police force and offers training sessions on various topics. Recently, three officers completed the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training program. This specialized curriculum aims to reduce the risk of severe injury or death during an emergency interaction between someone experiencing a mental health crisis and police officers.
The CIT model was created in Memphis, Tennessee, as a partnership between the police department, advocacy groups and treatment providers specializing in mental health support. Since that time, many law enforcement agencies have adopted the program, both nationally and internationally. Many have seen significant benefits in their communities through dramatic declines in injury rates among citizens and police officers, decreased utilization of the SWAT team to resolve crises and the diversion of people with mental illness from incarceration to community-based mental health services.
CIT training aims to educate law enforcement officers on recognizing mental illness, enhance their verbal crisis de-escalation skills, and provide more streamlined access to community-based mental health services. By connecting someone experiencing a mental health crisis with the appropriate resources, the well-being of the individual and the community's safety can both be enhanced.
“The Salida Police Department partnered with Solvista Mental Health in 2020 to create a local co-responder program for mental health calls,” explained Police Chief Russ Johnson. “When responding to a mental health call, the responding officer can use the CIT training to recognize mental health signs and deescalate the situation. This helps us keep the community safe while getting the person in crisis to the appropriate resources.”
The 40-hour hands-on class includes presentations by mental health service providers in Colorado to help officers learn what services are available and provide community reentry services for people ready to leave jail.
Now that three additional officers have completed CIT training, over half of the Salida police force is equipped to better respond to calls that involve mental health issues.
