Local Law Enforcement Officers Graduate from Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Academy Today

DOWNTOWN ZANESVILLE, Ohio- Today about a dozen local officers -serving law enforcement agencies in Muskingum and surrounding counties- graduated from the Crisis Intervention Team (C.I.T) Academy. 

It’s a community based program that’s been going strong for 20 years. The C.I.T  Academy weaves the training of police officers and the knowledge of mental health advocates, and teaches the officers how to deal with mental illnesses and substance abuse situations. Throughout the four day training course, representatives from many organizations came to talk to the trainees.  

“We’ve had representation from various sheriff’s offices, Allwell Behavioral Health, Genesis, Coshocton DD was here. We’ve had suicide prevention education and awareness, we just had a critical incident stress management presentation,” Jamie McGrew, the care management director at the Mental Health stated.

In the program’s existence, 350 officers in our six county area have been educated by the program. The lessons learned by each officer benefits the community in various ways.

“Safer communities in general. Safer for our people who are struggling, either long term or in the moment, and safer for our officers,” McGrew said.

Not only are those in need better served, but situations are able to be de-escalated, everyone remains safe, and a sense of humanity is able to be at the forefront of police response.