Have you seen across the United States that communities are facing an increase in mental health crises? It is clear, each week, headline after headline reminds us of tragic outcomes when individuals in need encounter law enforcement officers who lack specialized training. In Arapahoe County, this challenge has become especially pressing. 

During a recent ride-along with a patrol officer, I learned that many officers felt that they were unprepared to handle mental health calls. This lack of confidence can only escalate situations and lead to unnecessary arrests or even harm. 

I am a resident of Arapahoe County, and as a researcher, I believe we can do better.  

Officers have expressed their discomfort when it comes to these encounters. We, as community members, deserve responses rooted in compassion and expertise. Diving into my research of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), I saw training and co-responder models that showed proven solutions existed. However, they simply need to be consistently implemented and supported with more resources. 

CIT equips officers with the skills they need to recognize and de-escalate. According to studies I found, CIT-trained officers are more likely to divert individuals to treatment rather than arrest and report increased confidence in handling crises (Rogers et al., 2019; Compton et al., 2014).

Co-Responder Models pair offices with licensed clinicians during crisis calls. Research shows that they reduce arrests, increase referrals to services, and build community trust (Rogers et al., 2019; Compton et al., 2014). In Arapahoe County, 98% of calls managed by co-responder teams avoided arrest (Office of Justice Programs, 2021; Julota, 2023).

Both of these approaches improve officer performance, enhance public safety, and reduce the long-term costs of untreated mental illness. 

Now, we ask to call on Sheriff Tyler S. Brown of the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office to: 

Make Crisis Intervention Team training mandatory for all officers
Expand co-responder programs by increasing staffing, funding, and coverage.
Collect and publish data on crisis outcomes to ensure transparency and accountability.
Also, as a request to the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners, to provide the necessary funding and oversight to sustain these.

By signing this petition, you are confirming your support for evidence-based solutions that prioritize safety, dignity, and health for all residents of Arapahoe County. Officers should not face these crises alone, and individuals in need should not be met with force instead of care. Together, we can ensure that mental health calls are handled with compassion, expertise, and respect.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you will consider showing your support and sign. 

Dakota Huber

An extra way to show your support is to contact Sheriff Tyler S. Brown, stating you support this petition. 

Sheriff Tyler S. Brown Contact Information:

Name: Sheriff Tyler S. Brown
Office: Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 13101 East Broncos Parkway, Centennial, CO 80112
email: sheriff@arapahoegov.com
Website: https://www.arapahoeco.gov/your_county_departments/sheriffs_office/our_agency/sheriff_tyler_s_brown.php

References (APA Style)
Compton, M. T., Bakeman, R., Broussard, B., Hankerson-Dyson, D., Husbands, L., Krishan, S., Stewart-Hutto, T., & Watson, A. C. (2014). The police-based Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model: I. Effects on officers’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Psychiatric Services, 65(4), 517–522. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201300107

Crisis Intervention Team of Colorado. (n.d.). Training. CITAC. https://www.citac.co/training

Julota. (2023, August 15). The best practices for implementing a co-responder program. https://www.julota.com/news/the-best-practices-for-implementing-a-co-responder-program/

Office of Justice Programs. (2021). Assessing the impact of co-responder team programs: A review of research. https://www.ojp.gov/library/publications/assessing-impact-co-responder-team-programs-review-research

Rogers, M. S., McNiel, D. E., & Binder, R. L. (2019). Effectiveness of police crisis intervention training programs. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 47(4), 414–421. https://doi.org/10.29158/JAAPL.003863-19

Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d.). Crisis intervention program. Arapahoe County Government. https://files.arapahoeco.gov/your_county/county_departments/sheriffs_office/programs/crisis_intervention_program.php