CIT officers a godsend

Crisis Intervention Team officers are a godsend. They are highly trained law enforcement officers, trained to intervene with a person suffering a mental health crisis. Our city/county has had CIT officers for a number of years. Our community and police chief are supportive of the CIT officers.

I have a major concern with some our returning veterans who are returning home with traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder because of repeated blasts from IEDs ending up in jail for nonviolent crimes. I would pray that if one of our returning veterans found him/herself in situation that required intervention based on a mental health crisis involving law enforcement, a CIT officer would intervene. CIT should work well for anyone suffering a mental health crisis. Our returning veterans, as does anyone suffering a mental health crisis, deserve the best-of-the-best treatment. In a mental health crisis, CIT officers are highly trained to provide that treatment. CIT officers work with the local mental health agency to resolve a mental health crisis.

Patricia A. Biggs

Brigham City