Dunwoody police force improves training on mental illness
The Dunwoody Police Department has completed a program intended to improve officers’ interactions with people who have mental illnesses.
According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, some departments report that as many as 20% of calls for service involve a mental health event or someone with mental illness. As a result, the association launched the One Mind Campaign, which requires agencies to implement numerous changes over a one- to three-year period.
Dunwoody is a city located in northern DeKalb County.
Its police department fulfilled its One Mind pledge by entering into a partnership with a local mental health organization, creating new policies guiding officers' interactions with people affected by mental illness and implementing additional training.
Over 50 percent of the staff have completed a 40-hour Crisis Intervention course.
Beyond the One Mind Campaign, the police department has begun offering a Mental Health First Aid program. The eight-hour course teaches students how to provide support and resources to a peer who may be developing mental health issues or a substance abuse problem.
About the Author
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
