The news sometimes features stories of wrongful shootings by police officers, and many of these cases involve a victim with a mental health crisis.
The officers’ misunderstanding of the situation can be partly to blame in these scenarios. But it is a lot more than that. We need to revisit their training before criticizing them.
Police academy training teaches officers to take charge of any situation and demand compliance. They have to act as the authority figure no matter what.
They are trained to apprehend criminals. It is no surprise that they are at a loss when it comes to dealing with mental health conditions.
People with these conditions do not react the same way or follow directions like others. An officer who has only their basic training may not recognize untoward symptoms from a distance. For him or her, it may look like a suspect not following orders.
Such situations range from threatening, erratic behavior; emotional distress and suicidal conditions to signs of delusions or paranoia. It also involves dealing with intoxicated people or those in need of medical care or detox, all cases that make one behave in a strange manner.
Most experts say that it is lack of specialized training and knowledge that lead to these inappropriate responses. Most of them react out of fear and frustration.
This is where crisis intervention training (CIT) will help. An officer equipped with this training will be a significant help to the community. They can handle a mental health crisis better and also help bring down community costs on patient care.
CIT is an intensive, 40-hour training program. It offers the tools and resources officers need to handle mental health crisis situations. Law enforcement learns to identify and deal with the symptoms, and creates connections with individuals living with mental health disorders.
The training provides officers with the ability to safely de-escalate an intense situation and deal with empathy. A nonviolent solution is an ultimate goal.
Some departments are not just training officers but setting the standards for dealing with such situations. In Marion County, Oregon, for instance, the police and sheriff's department are partnering with the county’s health department.
Together, they have created mental health crisis response teams. Instead of arrest, jail or a violent ending, they are diverting these people in distress towards community health services.
Critical services included are referrals to community services, on-site crisis counseling, or addressing the mental health needs of people in custody.
The program has proven to be a huge success. It has enhanced law enforcement response to mental health crises. Data shows that it has helped resolve multiple crisis scenarios without violence or aggression.
The Jones County (Missouri) Sheriff's Department announced that its CIT training partnership with Pine Belt Mental Health is already helping officers.
The Concord (North Carolina) Police Department recently announced that nine officers had completed crisis intervention training. They can use their training to look for viable options for individuals who need mental health treatment instead of arrest and incarceration.
Elsewhere in North Carolina, emergency responders in Onslow County are taking CIT. Paramedics encounter similar situations all the time at work, just like police officers and other first responders.
They need to know how to handle them. With the right tools and resources, they can do a better job of helping people in need and the community at large. More states and counties need to do the same.
As more departments of all kinds opt for the CIT program, we can hope for more lives saved and better intervention at the scene.
