Cranston Police Get Funding For Crisis Intervention Training

CRANSTON, RI — U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on Wednesday joined Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins and representatives from Cranston Police Department and other local group to announce improvements to de-escalation and crisis intervention training for local police officers.

"A quality police department is necessary to guarantee public safety for our citizens," Hopkins said. "It is my number one priority."

Whitehouse helped shepherd the bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act into law in late December, and also delivered a $500,000 community spending request to the Cranston Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program through the new law.

"Rhode Island's brave law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to serve and protect our state," Whitehouse said in a statement. Police are often first on the scene when someone is dealing with a mental health or behavioral health issue. Last month, I succeeded in passing measures into law that will ensure Rhode Island police officers have the right training for life-saving crisis intervention and de-escalation, and the proper resources to connect people in crisis with the help they need. Rhode Island departments — especially the Cranston police — and local mental health partners have shown leadership on this issue for years now, and I’m proud to stand alongside them today."

On Dec. 27, President Joe Biden signed Whitehouse (D), and Senator John Cornyn’s (R-TX) Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act, which aims to equip law enforcement officers with the tools to effectively and safely respond to people in crisis.

The act will require the Department of Justice to work with experts to develop comprehensive trainings on de-escalation tactics, alternatives to use of force, safely responding to mental, behavioral, and suicidal crises and making referrals to community-based mental and behavioral health services and support and other social programs.

The new law also builds off the existing Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program to create a dedicated stream of funding for local and state law enforcement agencies to train their officers and the mental health professionals who work with them. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent.

"I want to thank Senator Whitehouse, Mayor Hopkins, members of the Cranston Police Department and our community partners for making mental health a priority in our community," Police Chief Michael Winquist said. "This federal funding will have a great impact in expanding our Crisis Intervention Team and our current partnerships with Gateway Mental Health, the Cranston Comprehensive Community Acton Program and Thundermist Health."

The Crisis Intervention Team, comprised of police officers, mental health clinicians and social workers, provided face-to-face follow-up visits with more than 500 people with mental illness or experiencing a mental health crisis, Winquist said.

"Nearly half of these individuals accepted a wide range of services that have improved their lives, created a safer city, and reduced the expense associated with repetitive calls to common addresses," Winquist said. "We look forward to the enhancing our partnerships and future success."