New Crisis Intervention Office Unveiled By Aurora Police

AURORA, IL — The Aurora Police Department unveiled Tuesday afternoon the new offices for its Crisis Intervention Unit.

Found on the first floor of police headquarters, 1200 E. Indian Trail, the offices house program staff, which include four police officers, a police social work coordinator and three police social workers.

Mayor Richard Irvin joined Police Chief Keith Cross and CIU staff for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. Officials said the new space provides a cohesive workspace for the team to operate effectively.

Once known as the Crisis Intervention Team, police officials "demonstrated [their] unwavering commitment to addressing mental health issues" by expanding the department to a unit and embracing a collaborative environment between police and social workers.

"This unit was established with the recognition that many police interactions involve citizens in crisis with underlying mental health concerns that require immediate attention," police said in a news release. "Often, these interactions occur where a citizen in crisis may display behaviors otherwise considered criminal, but for which an enforcement intervention is not the proper strategy."