Overview:
In 1988, the Memphis Police
Department joined in partnership with the Memphis chapter of the Alliance for
the Mentally Ill, mental health providers and two local universities in
organizing, training and implementing a specialized unit. This unique and
creative alliance was established for the purpose of developing a more
intelligent, understandable, and safe approach to mental crisis events.
Program Benefits:
·
Crisis response
is immediate.
·
Use of force has
decreased.
·
Officers are
better trained and educated in verbal de-escalation techniques.
·
Officer’s
injuries during crisis events declined.
·
Officer
recognition and appreciation by the community has increased.
·
Decrease in
liability for health care issues in the jails.
The Crisis Intervention
Training program (CIT) has resulted in a decrease in arrest rates for the
mentally ill, an impressive rate of diversion into health care systems, and a
resulting low rate of mental illness in jails.
The CIT model encourages
communities, families, law enforcement, and mental health professionals to act
as a compass for persons affected with mental illness. An increase in illegal
narcotic/alcohol abuse and the “deinstitutionalization” of mentally ill
citizens has caused many to become homeless and potentially more violent which
increases the chances of involvement with law enforcement. This increases the
possibility for excessive force complaints. Traditional
police methods, misinformation, and a lack of sensitivity, cause fear and
frustration for consumers and their families. Too often, officers
respond to crisis calls where they felt at a disadvantage or were placed in a
no-win situation. It often takes a tragedy for law enforcement to look for a
change. As a proactive program, CIT acts as a model committed to preventing a
tragic situation and providing short-term solutions with long term objectives
for all those persons concerned.
A team of local officers,
police and corrections, trained to respond to psychiatric emergencies as first
responders.
A hallmark of CIT is its
creation of strong relationships between law enforcement, community residents,
and a social service providers, to work together to solve local problems.
1.
To implement a
community-oriented, innovative community policing model for responding to
psychiatric emergencies.
2.
To reduce the
number of arrests and incarcerations for non-violent offenses of people with
mental illness.
3.
To build a strong
and lasting relationship between law enforcement, mental health providers, and
families of and people with mental illness in our local community.
4.
To build an
in-jail CIT Team that works closely with the community police team.
5.
To provide 40
hours of specialized CIT training to interested and qualified area police
officers to improve their ability to interact with people in psychiatric
crisis.
Officer will
receive training in:
Trauma
Recovery
Deaf Services
Suicide Prevention
Family Perspectives
Personality Disorders
Intro to Mental Illness
Diversity Issues in Mental Illness
Psychiatric Meds and Toxicology
De-Escalation Skills and Role Plays
Consumer Perspectives/Legal Issues
Children and Adolescent Mental Health
Substance Abuse and Co-Occurring Disorders
To: Chief Ron Gastia
From: Sgt. Paul Edwards
RE: Crisis Intervention Team
Date: November 1, 2005
Chief Winslow,
This letter is intended to
give you a review of how CIT is working in the Bangor area, and some partial
statistical data that I have compiled.
The first CIT class was held
in Bangor, at Dorothea Dix Center (formerly BMHI.) 8 Bangor police officers, 8
jail guards from PCJ, and a nurse from EMMC ER, were among most of those who
completed the training. The training was held March 14-18th, 2005.
The second CIT class was held
in Bangor, at Acadia Hospital. 3 more Bangor police officers, 3 more jail
guards from PCJ, and a Sgt. Dep. Sheriff from Penobscot S.O. completed the
training. Also, I was able to convince Orono, Veazie, Brewer, Hampden, and Old Town police departments
along with a Paramedic from Bangor Fire Department to send one officer from
each department. A Maine State Trooper also completed the training, a first in
the state! Several other counties sent deputies, including two officers from
Vermont, who hope to bring the training module back home.
The CIT contact sheet was
initiated in March 2005. Statistical data are as follows.
Trained CIT officers
completed and returned 46 sheets.
Consumers with suicidal
ideation’s 21
Consumers with suicide
attempts 6
Consumers threatening others 8
Consumers threaten police 1
Consumers threatening with edged
weapon 8
Consumers under influence of
alcohol 10
Consumers diverted from
arrest 4
Consumers transported to ER 35
Consumers referred
other/stabilized 11
Out of the 46 contact sheets
no injuries were reported from any consumer, no injuries were reported from any
police officer, and not one use of force report was entered. The extra time
these officers are taking to deal with people in mental crisis is critical and
is proof by the numbers that this program has been extremely successful. I am
pleased beyond words at the dedication, determination, and commitment that
these officers have exhibited when dealing with people in mental crisis. Please
feel free to share these statistics.
Also, for your information,
58 CIT Contact sheets turned in by non-CIT officers transporting consumers to
the emergency room have been reviewed. The averages are nearly the same, and
the outcomes have been equally positive with no injuries or use of force reports.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Sgt.
Paul Edwards