Welcome to Skagit County

June 29th, 2009

Law enforcement officers complete Crisis Intervention Team training

SKAGIT COUNTY - On June 11, 2009, twenty law enforcement and correctional officers from throughout Skagit County completed a 4-day Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training sponsored by Skagit County Human Services and NAMI Skagit. The training was funded by a grant from the Washington Mental Health Transformation Project and Skagit County Human Services.

Graduates included Officers Michael Johnson and William Loftis from Anacortes Police Department, Officers Kyle Campo and David Miller from Burlington Police Department, Officers Josh Maxwell, Edgar Serrano, and Dustin Richardson from Mount Vernon Police Department; and Deputies Todd Adams, Brad Holmes, Kelly Howell, Don Marlow, Mike McKissen, Daniel Nevares, Randy Parker, Marty Steiner, Kyle Wiggens, and Wade Wilhonen from the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office. In addition Linda Eiford, Jeanne McDermott, and Christina McGrew from Skagit County District Probation completed the four day training. Taylor Froling and Lisa Lee from Department of Corrections attended the first two days.

CIT training provides officers with new strategies and tools for identifying, preventing, and de-escalating mental health crisis calls. Officers received 32 hours of training in mental illness, substance abuse and the local mental health and chemical dependency treatment systems. CIT decreases arrest and injury rates for people with mental illness, increases officer and citizen safety, and enhances public involvement in law enforcement efforts. CIT programs across the country help direct persons with mental illness into treatment instead of inappropriate incarceration.

To date 47% of Skagit County municipal law enforcement officers have completed the training and 24% of the county sheriff’s deputies have completed the training. For additional information on Crisis Intervention Team trainings, contact Rebecca Clark, Skagit County Human Services at 360-336-9395.