Mount Clemens, MI – Last week, six Macomb County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Deputies, along with law enforcement officers from several other Macomb County agencies, attended Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training. Macomb County, using Opioid Settlement Funds, contacted with Macomb Community College Criminal Justice Training Center to facilitate the training. The goal is to improve law enforcement officer response and interaction when responding to calls of individuals in crisis.
The CIT is a program supported by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Currently, over 2,700 communities in the country operate CIT programs.
Law enforcement officers are instructed in response strategies and crisis planning. Emphasis is placed on “slowing down,” an individualized approach, and offering “dignified choices” when responding to incidents. Participants partake in real-world, hands-on, scenarios to help them develop their newly obtained skill set.
Resources are also provided for those individuals in crisis. Active community partners include Macomb County Community Mental Health, CARE of Southeastern Michigan, the ARC of Macomb and Turning Point Macomb. These community partnerships are invaluable to law enforcement, and vice versa.
To date, 20 MCSO Deputies have participated the training. MCSO will continue to send participants as more as classes become available. Noticeable improvements have been made with regard to confidence and knowledge of resources when dealing with crisis calls.
The week-long training is fully funded through the Opioid Settlement fund, which is specifically earmarked to improve services and assistance for people in crisis due to addiction. This is one component of the Safe & Health Macomb initiative.
The next training is scheduled for May 16-23. This training is open to all first responders, not just law enforcement.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit the Lifeline Chat (chat.988lifeline.org) to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
