The Garden City Police Department is pleased to announce that they have pledged to take action in support of the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s One Mind Campaign, with the intent to unite local communities, public safety organizations, and mental health organizations in such a way that the three become “of one mind.”
The One Mind Campaign seeks to ensure successful interactions between police officers and persons with mental illness. To join the campaign, the department has committed to implementing four promising practices over a 12–36 month time frame. These four strategies include (1) establishing a clearly defined and sustainable partnership with one or more community mental health organization(s), (2) developing and implementing a model policy addressing police response to persons affected by mental illness, (3) training and certifying 100 percent of the agency’s sworn officers (and selected non-sworn staff, such as dispatchers) in Mental Health First Aid for Public Safety, and (4) providing Crisis Intervention Team training to a minimum of 20 percent of the agency’s sworn officers (and selected non-sworn staff, such as dispatchers.)
According to Garden City Police Chief Thomas Alber “We have seen an increase in recent years of police contacts with people in mental health crisis. Police, especially in rural America, are not typically equipped with the resources or training to efficiently deal with mental health issues. Police had few options in assisting citizens with mental health crisis who often commit minor or nuisance violations, which can escalate over time. Historically, police could council, cite or arrest, but the individual would not receive the treatment needed and would receive fines they could not pay or be sentenced to jail terms and their conditions worsen. In my opinion, the gutting of the mental health system in the 80s has been a major contributing factor in jail and prison overcrowding.”
To more effectively respond to these situations Chief Thomas Alber has implemented the CIT program in Garden City. The CIT program is designed to improve the way law enforcement and the community responds to people experiencing mental health crisis. They are built on strong partnerships between law enforcement, mental health provider agencies and individuals and families affected by mental illness.
Chief Alber went on to say, “When a CIT trained officer contacts a citizen in mental health crisis, it streamlines processes and gives them direct and rapid access to mental health treatment and resources. My goal is to keep 100% of Garden City Police Department’s staff CIT trained and prepared to assist those in crisis.”
Chief Alber has been a strong advocate for several years in addressing the need to recognize and address recent societal, cultural, and technological changes that impact law enforcement responses to persons with mental illness. The strategies that the department has pledged to adopt create a unique opportunity to form a partnership with mental health organizations in the community. The committed efforts of both law enforcement agencies and the mental health community to reduce officer and civilian fatalities and injuries resulting from encounters between law enforcement officials and persons with mental illness are of critical importance. Pledging to support the One Mind Campaign is the first step towards creating a safer community for all.
For more information on the One Mind Campaign visithttp://www.theiacp.org/onemindcampaign. A copy of the full report, Improving Police Response to Persons Affected by Mental Illness, links to additional resources and a list of all agencies that have taken the pledge is also available on the website.
