Boca Raton Police Services Department Crisis Intervention Team SOP 41.15 PDF

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Standard Operating Procedure 41.15 CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM Revised: new I. PURPOSE: The purpose of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Team is as follows: A. Handle calls for service involving mentally ill consumers in a crisis state. B. Deal with complex...

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Standard Operating Procedure 41.15 CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM Revised: new I. PURPOSE: The purpose of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Team is as follows: A. Handle calls for service involving mentally ill consumers in a crisis state. B. Deal with complex issues relating to mental illness. C. Form partnerships with community-based mental health services, traditional medical care/emergency services, addiction services, and family/consumer advocates. II. POLICY: The intent of this procedure is to provide guidelines to agency personnel responding to calls for service to persons suspected of being mentally ill. The most serious consequences of officer interactions with the mentally ill are altercations or armed confrontations however these may be minimized by providing training and guidelines for employees in their interactions with the mentally ill. Members will follow guidelines as set forth in the CIT Training Manual and will use the manual as a resource. III. USAGE: The CIT Team will be used in the following instances: A. Mentally ill consumers in a disturbance state. B. Mentally ill consumers asking specifically for a CIT Officer. C. Suicide calls involving reported/diagnosed mentally ill consumers. D. Requests for assistance from family members of consumers in crisis. IV. PROTOCOL FOR DISPATCHING CIT OFFICERS: A. The request from the responding officer to Communications must indicate that the person involved suffers from a mental illness. Effective: November 1, 2007 Revised: Crisis Intervention Team SOP No. 41.15 Page 1 of 3 B. The call taker will ascertain as much information as possible regarding weapons, violent tendencies, type of mental illness, co-occurring disorder (alcohol or drug abuse) name of any prescribed medications, local doctor/psychiatrist name, history of hospitalization and name of facility, case manager name, any history of suicide attempts, and any other information as available. C. If the call event describes the situation as threatening/tense or unstable circumstances, the nearest CIT officer will be dispatched. D. If no CIT officer is available, the first officer on the scene of a mentally ill consumer in crisis will weigh the situation based on the information and circumstances as presented and/or known. That officer may then request a CIT officer be cleared from a call to respond. E. If it is unknown if a mental illness is involved, the primary responding officer shall ascertain this information and if necessary request that a CIT officer respond. F. CIT shall not be initially dispatched if the call involves a suicide threat that is vague, uncertain, unclear, or there is no indication of immediate harm suggested or implied. G. CIT shall not be dispatched on any overdose call (intentional or accidental) that has occurred where the individual is not reported or diagnosed as having a mental illness and the individual is not violent or combative. H. CIT shall not be dispatched if the individual is being transported to a medical facility on voluntary basis. I. A request for a CIT officer outside the parameters of this section should be brought to the attention of a field supervisor for approval. V. CIT OFFICER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: A. The Crisis Intervention Officer(s) on the scene of a mental crisis call has the duty and responsibility of that scene event and, if necessary, should advise other officers of request(s) that supports a team effort for a safe and appropriate disposition. The CIT Officer(s) will maintain scene responsibility unless otherwise directed by a commanding officer B. Personnel have access to community resources and services, for use in referral situations. C. Further services and resources available through other public and social service agencies can be located in relevant Department resources. D. Sworn members will follow the guidelines of the CIT Training Manual dealing with persons they suspect are mentally ill during contacts on the street, as well as during interviews and interrogations. Effective: November 1, 2007 Revised: Crisis Intervention Team SOP No. 41.15 Page 2 of 3 VI. QUALIFICATIONS FOR CIT OFFICERS: A. Voluntarily assigned. B. Must have successfully completed probation. C. Good physical condition. D. Good verbal and listening skills. E. Past experience in stressful situations and flexibility under pressure. F. Successfully completed one 40 hour block of specialized crisis intervention training. G. Must maintain an above satisfactory evaluation. VII. CIT TRAINING: A. Training regarding the interaction of agency personnel with persons suspected of suffering from mental illness is part of the Basic Recruit Academy training Curriculum. B. Non-sworn agency personnel that interact with persons suspected of suffering from mental illness will receive entry-level in-service training, or attend an applicable CIT Training Class. C. At a minimum, refresher training is provided to all applicable agency employees every three years. D. All training given regarding the Agency’s CIT Program will be documented. E. The Training Unit will update the individual training records of Department employees on completion of each training program. VIII. CIT STAT SHEET: A. Upon completion of a CIT call, a Crisis Intervention Team Stat sheet will be filled out and submitted to the team coordinator. B. If a Baker Act Form was completed a copy shall be forwarded with the Stat Sheet. Approved: Daniel C. Alexander Chief of Police Effective: November 1, 2007 Revised: Date: Crisis Intervention Team SOP No. 41.15 Page 3 of 3