Cape Police Department increases mental-illness response training

The Cape Girardeau Police Department started tracking mental-health related calls with reports in May.

Since then, 71 reports have been created, including 27 crisis calls in May. In August, that number was 12.

The department averages three mental-health crisis reports a week. Officers in Cape Girardeau are more equipped to handle such calls since the department has increased training on how to deal with calls involving people who are mentally ill.

Cape Girardeau has 18 officers with crisis-intervention team training, which is at least one officer per shift with training and usually two per shift, Lt. Rodney Barker said.

Twenty officers graduated from a mental-health first-aid training Aug. 25 at the Community Counseling Center. Crisis-intervention team training is more intense, lasting about a week.

Mental-health first aid teaches many of the same de-escalation techniques when encountering a person in the midst of a mental-health crisis, but the program is eight hours, Barker said.

The tenets of mental health first aid spell out ALGEE:

• Assess for risk of suicide or harm
• Listen non-judgmentally
• Give reassurance and information
• Encourage professional help
• Encourage self-help and support strategies.

Richard Strait and Heather Williams of Community Counseling Center taught the class.

“It’s just a basic way of talking with them that they don’t get thinking you think they’re nuts,” Barker said. “You’re not there to ridicule them.”

Community Counseling liaison Warren Skinner said CIT training has made a difference in interactions between patients and police.

“Most police officers are great at what they do anyway. I think they’re awesome natural counselors,” Skinner said. “But this gives them some practical knowledge that maybe they didn’t have before. ... It’s another very useful tool.”

Over the past two months, Skinner has accompanied CIT trained officers on follow-up meetings with people from a CIT report. While he acknowledged the people he has seen on follow-up meetings represent a small sample size, he said the follow-ups have helped prevent subsequent crisis situations.

“If you can help people from having that next crisis, you’ve succeeded,” Skinner said. “If you’re out there giving them information, you’re out there giving them service, you’re giving them somewhere to go — I think this is what it’s all about.”

The Missouri Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission passed changes to training requirements mandating peace officers have training in handling persons with mental-health and cognitive-impairment issues, tactical training including de-escalation techniques, and officer well-being including mental-health awareness.

Officers would be required to have two hours of training each year in each new category to meet continuing-education requirements. Those standards go into effect after Dec. 1.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address: 402 S. Silver Springs Road, Cape Girardeau, MO