The Revere Police Department recently announced that 38 officers have now completed Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) to better understand and recognize common signs of mental illnesses and safely de-escalate individuals experiencing behavioral health crises. Officers Cafarelli, Fusco and Bagnera, attended the 40-hour training curriculum last week conducted by the Metro Boston Crisis Intervention Team Training and Technical Assistance Center in Somerville. The training is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health.
“This crisis intervention training supports our efforts to better serve community members managing mental illness and other conditions such as substance use disorder. We want to make sure they have access to the medical treatment they need rather than being placed in the criminal justice system,†said Revere Police Chief David J.Callahan. “We’ve had a crisis team in place for critical incidents since 2012 and now are in the process of providing this essential training to the entire department.â€
Revere Police officers who attend the initial training receive ongoing continuing education and refresher training. Courses are led by law enforcement professionals, behavioral health experts and advocates.
