Portland Crisis Intervention Team

Quick Facts:

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:
Portland Police Dept.
Approximate number of officers in agency:
165
Primary specialized response:
Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Program start year:
2005 or earlier
Total number of officers in program:
approx 40

Portland Crisis Intervention Team

Contact:

Name:
Robin A. Gauvin
Title:
Supervisor, Crisis Intervention Team
Organization:
Portland Police Department
Address:
109 Middle Street
Portland, ME
Email:
rag@portlandmaine.gov
Phone:
207-874-8555

Agency Information

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:
Portland Police Dept.
Type of government that operates law enforcement agency:
Township
Approximate number of officers in agency:
165

Specialized Response Description

Program start year:
2005 or earlier
Primary specialized response:
Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Secondary specialized response:
Mental health professionals partner with law enforcement officers to provide on-scene crisis intervention and referral.
Background information:
Prior to November 2001 our department had a mobile crisis worker who reported for work at the PD. The worker is an employee of the local Crisis Service(Ingraham) providing 40 hrs. of coverage to the PD. CIT seemed a natural, cheaper succession to that. After attending CIT training in Memphis in November 2001, we had first class of 8 officers in March 2002.
Total number of officers in program:
approx 40
Number of people with mental illness served:
More than 500
Catchment area:
The entire jurisdiction
Funding source(s):
  • Police Department
    • Staff supported by funding:
  • Law Enforcement Officer

    • Program Partners and Personnel

    Existence of planning and oversight committee:
    No (please proceed to question 17)
    Mental health or advocacy agencies that participate in program:
    Ingraham, NAMI, Spring Harbor Hospital, Sweetser, Co-Occuring Collabrative of Maine
    Written agreement of roles and procedures:
    No
    Recruitment and selection:
    Officers volunteer and some are selected.
    Program coordinator/boundary spanner
    Yes. The program coordinator represents a law enforcement agency
    same

    Training on Mental Health Issues

    Types of training on mental health issues:
  • Pre-service training for new recruits at the academy
  • 7
  • Basic in-service training for all patrol officers
  • 4
  • 40
  • Advanced in-service training for select patrol officers
  • 40
  • Advanced in-service training for dispatchers and / or call takers
    • Number of officers who receive advanced training:
    1-50
    Groups who conducts advanced training:
  • Police officers
  • Mental health professionals (crisis workers)
  • Medical professionals (doctors or nurses)
  • Consumers
  • Community members
  • Advocates
  • Family member of a person with mental illness
    • Advanced training topics:
    • Recognizing symptoms of mental illness, and clinical issues
    • Co-occurring disorders
    • Psychiatric medications
    • Community resources (mental health services, etc.)
    • Legal issues concerning individuals with mental illness
    • Legal issues concerning police officer liability
    • De-escalation techniques
    • Suicide prevention
    • The role of families and other supports in mental health treatment and recovery
    Advanced training methods:
  • Presentations (including panels, lectures, and/or PowerPoints)
  • Role plays
  • Site visits to community mental health facilities
  • Videotapes
  • Virtual reality/computerized simulations of mental illness symptoms
    • Other information on training:
    We tailored the Memphis model to fit our community. In one of our Hign Schools there are 54 different languages spoken among the student population. Therefore we have diversity training. We also have an emphasis on youth and deaf services.

    Response Procedures

    Standardized dispatch questions:
    Yes
    Dispatch documentation:
  • Document in central computer database used for all calls, such as a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system
    • Incident documentation by responding officer:
  • Relay information to dispatch who records it in general computer database used for all calls, such as a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system
  • Record information on a form used only for mental health calls
    • Use of information on individuals' mental illness stored in police records:
    A contact sheet is produced for all MI related calls. If transported to the emergency room or to a provider a carbon copy is given. A copy goes into police records and an attempt is made to keep that confidential. A copy is kept for quality contol and for data analysis.
    Mental health professional available to support police responder:
  • Yes, both on-site and remotely
    • Officers permitted to transport people with mental illness to services when:
    • The person has volunteered to receive mental health treatment
    • The person is being brought to a hospital for emergency evaluation
    • The person is being brought to a crisis center or other health care facility for stabilization or medications management
    Officers allowed to transport a person without handcuffs:
    It is the officers discretion.
    Access to drop-off locations:
    Yes. It is open 24 hours a day.
    Procedure for streamlined intake and a "no refusal" policy for police referrals?
    Yes
    Location of drop-off center(s):
  • Psychiatric emergency room in general hospital
    • Drop-off center accepts people with co-occurring substance abuse disorders:
    Yes
    Length of time for drop-off and return to patrol:
    11-20 minutes

    Program Sustainability

    Data collection:
    Yes
    Published evaluation:
    No
    Local media coverage:
    Yes.
    Legislative funding or support:
    No
    About this information:

    A program representative provided this information details through a detailed survey.

    For more information on the survey, read about our methodology or download a pdf of the full survey.

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