Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) announced Monday that mental health clinicians will join officers on 911 calls through a Co-Response Crisis Intervention Program starting June 28. The pilot program was reportedly modeled after the Support Team Assistance Response (STAR) pilot program in Denver, Colorado.
“The MNPD’s first ever Co-Response Crisis Intervention [Program] (officers teamed with clinicians) begins 6/28. 16 officers from the North and Hermitage Precincts today begin 40 hours of crisis intervention training alongside Mental Health Co-Op staff in preparation for the start,” wrote MNPD.
The MNPD's first ever Co-Response Crisis Intervention Pgm (officers teamed with clinicians) begins 6/28. 16 officers from the North & Hermitage Precincts today began 40 hrs of crisis intervention training alongside Mental Health Co-Op staff in preparation for the start. pic.twitter.com/MigBaZsoLq
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) June 7, 2021
The Office of Alternative Policing Strategies is developing this pilot program. MNPD Chief John Drake created the program in February and placed MNPD Commander David Imhof at the helm as an investigator.
During the pilot program’s first training on Monday, Drake explained that the MNPD Co-Response Crisis Intervention Program has several goals, including improvement of mental health care access and prevention of criminal activity perpetrated by the mentally ill.
“Chief Drake says the pilot Crisis Intervention [Program] has 4 goals: improve access to care for those experiencing a behavioral health crisis; divert those in crisis from the criminal justice system to the health care system; improve safety; and improve coordination among providers,” wrote MNPD.
Chief Drake says the pilot Crisis Intervention Pgm has 4 goals: improve access to care for those experiencing a behavioral health crisis; divert those in crisis from the criminal justice system to the health care system; improve safety; & improve coordination among providers. pic.twitter.com/YZf0FAlIkq
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) June 7, 2021
The pilot program’s creation aligns with the proposals issued by the Metro Nashville Community Oversight Board’s (COB) policy advisory report last fall.
The COB suggested that mental illness-related calls should be addressed using crisis intervention resources, rather than police response. They cited another program similar to the Denver model, the Crisis Assistance Helping Out in the Streets (CAHOOTS) program based out of Eugene, Oregon.
MNPD announced the program shortly after the incident with Salman Mohamed – the 22-year-old man who shot at MNPD officers after placing a false report to 911 operators that his brother had shot his mother. Mohamed then committed suicide.
Mohamed’s parents claimed that their son struggled with mental illness.
The Tennessee Star has been unable to verify Mohamed’s citizenship status. MNPD denied The Star’s open records request for the case file because it is still ongoing. The Star was informed that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) took over the case at the request of Metro Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk.
The Star is awaiting response from TBI.
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Photo “crisis intervention” by Metro Nashville PD.
I wonder what will be the official response when one of these response team members gets shot at or worse yet, wounded or killed? I do not wish any ill will toward anyone but stupid actions can cause painful results.