12 officers complete crisis intervention training in Meridian

Twelve law enforcement officers have completed a 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team Officer Training course in Meridian, preparing them to respond to people experiencing mental health crises and connect them with assistance. The weeklong course was hosted by the East Mississippi Crisis Intervention Team.

Lt. Andy Matuszewski of the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department, who serves as the program manager for the East Mississippi Crisis Intervention Team, said the 12 recruits demonstrated that they were prepared for the work. Training covered pharmacology, critical clinical states, psychotic episodes and legal issues, among other topics.

Sheriff Ward Calhoun said skills such as communication, relationship-building and establishing trust apply broadly to officers' regular duties. He also described crisis intervention as a community effort involving mental health professionals, advocates, support organizations and people with previous mental health histories.

Meridian Police Chief Malachi Sanders, whose department had five officers in the course, said mental health is connected to first-responder work and deserves more attention from law enforcement.

The officers will use their training in their communities to recognize people experiencing mental illness and help connect them with needed resources. Calhoun said the crisis intervention network can help officers find solutions when challenges arise, including situations in which a crisis center is full.

Source: Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office, Mississippi.