Crisis Intervention Team (“C.I.T.”)
A C.I.T. Officer completes a specialized training academy and passes required testing. At the end of the C.I.T. Academy, the officer is certified as a C.I.T. Officer by the State of Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
C.I.T. Officers maintain the same responsibilities as other officers (e.g. in Patrol or Corrections). Still, they are usually the officers assigned to handle situations involving individuals experiencing mental health crises.
A C.I.T. Officer receives broad and generalized training in identifying characteristics of various mental disorders, at least as those disorders are commonly presented in law enforcement and corrections settings. In the C.I.T. Academy, employees frequently find a new level of empathy for those experiencing mental health crises. At the same time, they are trained to protect themselves and provide, wherever possible, a safe intervention for the person in crisis, their family, and the community.
The C.I.T. Program is a statewide effort that builds strong working partnerships between law enforcement agencies and mental health professionals.
Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office has been part of the C.I.T. Program since 2002. The program currently has a goal of training 25% of all law enforcement officers in the State of Utah. Because of Sheriff Rigby’s commitment to the program and its principles, more than 80% of all Office employees (including law enforcement, corrections, and dispatchers) are certified as C.I.T. Officers.
