The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, has selected the Los Angeles Police Department to act as a peer-to-peer learning program that will assist other law enforcement agencies across the country improve their responses to people with mental illnesses.

The LAPD is one of six departments selected through a national, competitive process to participate in the “Law Enforcement/Mental Health Learning Sites Initiative project”. The LAPD joins the police departments for Houston, Texas; Madison, Wisconsin; Portland, Maine; Salt Lake City, Utah; and the University of Florida in the program.

The departments will provide resources for state and local agencies that are developing  or enhancing a Specialized Policing Response (SPR) to people with mental illnesses. Projects include crisis intervention teams (CIT), mental health and law enforcement co-response teams, or case management approaches. The goal is to make encounters between officers and people with mental illness safer. Each department will host site visits, answer questions from the field, and work with CSG Justice Center staff to develop materials for practitioners and community partners.

“The LAPD, Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU) has proven to be a global leader in innovative law enforcement responses to people with mental illnesses,” said Justice Center director Michael Thompson. “We are confident that the MEU will provide valuable support and assistance to other agencies and lawmakers interested in improving or enhancing their own SPR.”

“Providing my officers with the skills and tools they need to link people to services when appropriate, ensure public and officer safety, and make the best use of taxpayer dollars is of critical importance,” said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.

For information, visit www.consensusproject.org/learningsites