Crisis Intervention Team training helps Charleston officers respond to mental health emergencies

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The Charleston Police Department is working on ways to better handle crisis intervention in mental health situations.

The City of Charleston Police Department and the National Alliance on Mental Illness recently conducted a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training course.

The 40-hour course trained officers to take an “innovative, community-based approach” to improve encounters with people in a mental health crisis.

Throughout the course, officers participated in scenario-based training sessions.

For officers, crisis intervention brings a new approach to saving lives.

The department utilized its CIT officers during an incident on Wednesday.