Six Macomb County Sheriff’s deputies along with police officers from several other departments in the county recently participated in training on responding to individuals experiencing a mental or emotional crisis.
The Crisis Intervention Team Training offered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness was held at the Macomb Community College Police Academy. It was paid with opioid settlement dollars to improve officer response and interaction when dealing with those situations, often involving substance abuse, according to Sheriff’s Office officials.
During the weeklong training at the facility off Dunham Road in Clinton Township, officers were instructed on strategies in responding to incidents, such as “slowing down,” taking an individualized approach, and offering “dignified choices,” officials said. Participants took part in “real-world, hands-on scenarios” to help them develop their new skills.
“Noticeable improvements have been made with regard to confidence and knowledge of resources when dealing with crisis calls,” officials said in the release.
Twenty deputies so far have taken part in the training, and the Sheriff’s Office will continue to send participants as more classes become available, officials said.
Community partners include Macomb County Community Mental Health, CARE of Southeastern Michigan, the ARC of Macomb and Turning Point Macomb. The training is open to all first responders in the county. The next session is May 16-23.
