Casa Grande police work to improve approach with public
Department trains for mental health, domestic violence cases
CASA GRANDE — Police officers are making efforts to improve how they handle situations involving domestic violence and individuals with mental health disorders.
All Casa Grande officers will undergo an eight-hour course later this month, designed to help them de-escalate incidents with individuals struggling with a mental illness.
“You learn the risk factors and warning signs of somebody in crisis,” said Casa Grande Police Chief Mark McCrory, “so you’re a little bit quicker to identify a need so you can change your approach on how to handle that situation.”
The training won’t transform officers into certified mental health experts, McCrory added, but it will hopefully help prevent individuals from “falling through the cracks.”
Police officers can be caught in a bind while responding to such calls, he said. The subject may not be doing anything criminal or not exhibiting behavior that can justify involuntary commitment to psychiatric treatment. Yet, there may be family members desperate to find help for loved ones struggling with a mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, so they turn to police officers as a last resort.
