Senate panel OKs bill urging mental illness training for police

SALT LAKE CITY — The House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee unanimously approved a bill that urges law enforcement statewide to undergo extensive mental illness training.

SCR1, sponsored by Sen. Pat Jones, urges law enforcement officers complete the Crisis Intervention Team Program, or CIT.  The program is a 40-hour curriculum to be completed in a one-week training session. It’s modeled after the Memphis Police Department Crisis Intervention Team, which is known as a pioneer in mental illness training for law enforcement.

A few police agencies in Utah already have CIT training, including the Salt Lake City's. But one of the bill’s supporters, Duane Cardall, believes rural areas are particularly lacking in mental illness training.

Cardall's son, Brian, died during an incident with Hurricane Police in June 2009. Brian Cardall, 32, was traveling with his wife when they stopped so he could take some medication for a mental illness. His wife called 911 for help after he started running down the road.

Responding officers deployed a Taser and Brian Cardall died on the scene. Duane Cardall told lawmakers if the officers who responded to the call that day had been properly trained, his son would be alive today.

“I realize that there are many, many dynamics to a call for help, such as was issued by my daughter-in-law that day,” Duane Cardall said. “All she was doing was asking for help — medical attention. I'm absolutely 100 percent convinced that my son would alive today if the officers who responded to the distress call from his wife had adequate training on how to deal with those who are mentally ill.”  

Jones, D-Holladay, believes the bill will easily pass through the House.