The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is an innovative and highly successful approach to enhance interaction between mentally ill individuals, law enforcement and mental health agencies. The program was developed by the Memphis Police Department and has been adopted by many other major law enforcement agencies throughout the country.
The goal is to minimize the use of force, increase the safety of the officer and the individual on the street, and learn about available resources as needed in community policing. Development of this program in Kern County is the result of a collaborative effort between the Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Sheriff, Kern County Mental Health Department and NAMI. This intense forty hour CIT Academy is a joint effort of various agencies throughout the county, talented consumers and family members from NAMI. Hundreds officers and dispatchers have received CIT training since its inception.
For more information, please visit Kern County Mental Health – Crisis Services.