N.C. (WNCT) — You may have heard about how the Craven County Sheriff’s Office safely helped a man off the Neuse River Bridge recently. How do other sheriff’s offices deal with a public mental health crisis?
Craven County Sheriff’s Office deputies rescue man from bridge
Lee Darnell, the Public Information Officer for the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, reported that every law enforcement agency, from urban to rural, faces challenges that come from mental health crises
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The Pitt County Sheriff’s Office places importance on preventative measures, such as educating the public on how to recognize mental illness and advocating for the use of the national suicide and crisis lifeline, 988
Deputies with the sheriff’s office are specially trained in Crisis Intervention Team response. They learn how to respond to a mental health crisis through hands-on, scenario-based training. The Crisis Intervention Team response model connects law enforcement with mental health professionals, advocates and families. The model emphasizes verbal de-escalation and empathy, while guiding individuals into an appropriate medical or community-based treatment plan rather than through the criminal justice system.
“There’s certainly a lot more to law enforcement than enforcing statutes and jailing offenders. We are involved in a lot of voluntary and involuntary commitments, initiated by family or friends of those needing help. We will also initiate commitment proceedings when individuals are a danger to themselves or others and in need of mental health support instead of incarceration.” said Darnell
The sheriff’s office also closely works with the local mental healthcare system for scene response and follow up services
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