Welcome to Skagit County

October 29th, 2008

Law enforcement officers complete Crisis Intervention Team training

SKAGIT COUNTY - On October 24, 2008, nine law enforcement 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 Gordon Alves and Rob Leetz from Anacortes Police Department, Officers David Goss and Jeremy Kramer from Burlington Police Department, Officers Peter Lindberg and Dave Shackleton from Mount Vernon Police Department; Officer Bill Storie from Sedro Woolley Police Department, and Deputies Brian Schrader and Julie Zorn from the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office.

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 over 40% of Skagit County municipal law enforcement officers have completed the training and 10 county sheriff’s deputies and/or correction officers have completed the training. Additional trainings will be offered in 2009. For additional information on Crisis Intervention Team trainings, contact Rebecca Clark, Skagit County Human Services at 360-336-9395.