DETROIT – More than $240,000 from a Community Policing Development Grant will help out Detroit police. That federal funding is coming from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).
“Chief White has been working with this for so long. He’s very committed to this,” said Detroit Police Captain Tonya Leonard-Gilbert.
Leonard-Gilbert said Chief James White is all about mental health. That’s why he supports all Detroit police officers to go through her Crisis Intervention Team Program.
It’s a 40-hour block of training and partnership with Detroit-Wayne Integrated Health Network.
“They’re trained on specifically on Crisis Intervention Team, training that focuses on people who are in crisis with a mental health nexus. So that they’re better equipped to go out and recognize, address and resolve, hopefully those who are members that are calling from our community, who fall in that criteria,” said Captain Leonard-Gilbert. “A lot of the members who are now serving in that capacity, who have gone through the training, are very excited. It gives us an added tool, if you will, in our tool belt.”
It’s a tool they want to provide to all officers, not just the ones on the street. They will soon be able to do that with more than $240,000 from a federal grant.
“To have this grant is amazing. It helps support us to get this work done. We’re like over the top with it,” said Leonard-Gilbert.
They’re also able to continue their main goal to protect and serve.
“We are grateful to the commitment. Often you hear things about bridging the gap and partnering with the community. This is one more way to do it,” Leonard-Gilbert said.
She said there’s a plan to have a full-time person in the 911 center who is professionally trained in mental health.
Read: How Detroit police are using training to help with mental health issues