Doylestown Township Police Sgt. Jeff Stich, left, Officer Matt Hershowitz and Chief Charles Zeigler. (Credit: Doylestown Township Police)
Two of Doylestown Township Police's finest have advanced their law enforcement experience and crisis intervention response.
Sgt. Jeff Stich and Officer Matt Hershowitz each completed a 40-hour Bucks County Crisis Intervention Training on Friday, police said.
During the week of training, both officers worked alongside 30 other colleagues in Bucks County to learn innovative ways to assist those with mental health-related issues.
Doylestown Township Police thanked Lenape Valley Foundation's Nicole Wolf and Northampton Township Police Department's Lt. Chuck Pinkerton for their guidance.
According to Lenape Valley Foundation, the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is a model of police-based crisis intervention with community behavioral health, law enforcement, and advocacy partnerships. Per the site, the CIT model was first developed in Memphis, TN about 30 years ago.
CIT, per the Foundation, is a jail diversion and community policing program designed to "improve the outcomes of police interactions with individuals whose behavior is influenced by mental illness, substance use, developmental or intellectual disabilities, and related conditions.
"Officers learn to recognize psychiatric distress and other conditions and how to de-escalate a crisis - avoiding officer and citizen injuries, and tragedy for the community," according to the Foundation. "In addition, CIT officers learn how to link people with appropriate treatment, which has a positive impact on fostering recovery and reducing recidivism."
