Article provided by the Cambridge Police Department
The Cambridge Police Department has once again taken a proactive approach to more effectively address perceptions and societal concerns involving law enforcement response to mental health emergencies.
On Tuesday, Oct. 11, four Cambridge police officers, including Chief Tim Dwyer, completed an comprehensive training course on public safety response to persons suffering from mental health issues. This course was put on by the League of Minnesota Cities with instructors from Fairview Health.
Chief Dwyer tells us that “Mental Health First Aid” is an 8-hour training course which helps law enforcement better understand mental illnesses and addictions, and provides them with effective response options to deescalate incidents without compromising safety.
Statistics from the National Council for Behavioral Health show us that one in five Americans has some sort of mental illness—and many are reluctant to seek help, or might not know where to turn for care.
Since 2008, the National Council has provided training opportunities to community members, business leaders, family service organizations, and first responders. As a society, we largely remain ignorant about the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses, and we ignore our role as responsible community members and public safety professionals to help people experiencing these illnesses.
In today’s society, the need for specialized law enforcement training in this area is in high demand. Chief Dwyer has been in contact with the League of Minnesota Cities and intends to host a “Mental Health First Aid” course in 2017 in Cambridge for all his staff and members of surrounding agencies. Previously, members of the Cambridge Police Department have completed both the 8 hour Crisis Response Team (CIT) training put on by the Barbara Snieder Foundation, as well as the suicide prevention and response training put on by the MN Hope in Action Foundation.
Chief Dwyer said, “We went into the training with a general knowledge of mental health issues, but we walked away much more informed and aware of these issues that affect many people every day. One clear message that was delivered was that Mental Health First Aid helps first responders gain awareness and is a public education program that can help individuals across the community to understand mental illnesses, support timely intervention, and save lives.”