Welcome to Skagit County

March 27th, 2006

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS COMPLETE CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM TRAINING

SKAGIT COUNTY - On March 23, 2006, eight law enforcement officers from throughout Skagit County completed a 4-day Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training sponsored by Skagit County Human Services. 

Graduates included Deputy Dan Luvera from the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office; Officers Walter Martinez, Clint Morgenstern, Sean Naylor and Deborah Osburn from the Mount Vernon Police Department; Sgt. Robert Wischhusen and Detective Todd Schwiesow from the Burlington Police Department; and Officer Kerig Holmberg from the Sedro- Woolley Police Department.

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. Officers learn to integrate their police training with some different approaches to a person they believe to have a mental disorder. Role playing is utilized to make the experience as close to reality as possible.

Additional trainings will be offered in May and September.  For additional information on Crisis Intervention Team trainings, contact Rebecca Clark, Skagit County Human Services at 360-336-9395.