Crisis Intervention Teams: Lessons Learned Findings from Civil Rights Litigation
CITs
Designate a crisis intervention coordinator
- The role is to build partnerships between the department, members of the mental health community, advocates, individuals with mental illness, and other relevant community members
Establish drop-off centers and mobile crisis prevention teams
- Sworn officers and qualified mental health professionals co-located to provide an efficient assessment of an individual’s mental health needs
Establish protocols for prioritizing health vs. legal interventions
- It may be important in some circumstances to treat an individual’s health needs first, even when a law has been broken
The above findings from Civil Rights litigation come from each city's consent decree below. Use the following links to access the entire language from each city’s consent decree.
Specialized CIT training, CIT policies
Dedicate crisis intervention officers or teams
- These teams receive specialized training, including on-site visits to behavioral health facilities and interactions with individuals with behavioral health needs.
- It is encouraged that participation in these teams is voluntary and has distinct qualifications
Ensure adequate coverage with CIT officers on all shifts
- When possible, departments should maintain coverage with a specialized CIT officer on all shifts
Provide CIT officers/teams with adequate authority and discretion on the scene
- Authority to use discretion to divert individuals with behavioral health challenges to the health care system rather than the judicial system
- CIT officers should have primary responsibility for the scene unless a higher-ranking officer is present. In situations where the CIT officer is not the lead, they should be a primary advisor regarding strategies to de-escalate and resolve the situation.
Provide department-wide crisis intervention training
- Including guidance on how and when to consult with a specialized CIT officer
Provide crisis training to dispatchers
- It is encouraged for dispatchers to also be trained as a part of the department’s crisis intervention efforts
The above findings from Civil Rights litigation come from each city's consent decree below. Use the following links to access the entire language from each city’s consent decree.
The information provided above has come directly from the consent decree language, which can be accessed by clicking on each corresponding city’s consent decree. This information is intended to guide departments on decisions and actions to improve their Constitutional policing practices. Additional resources and information may be needed to implement these recommendations successfully. For assistance in implementing recommendations, contact the Knowledge Lab team.