Phoenix PD offers officers mental health training; community members say thatâs not enough
The Phoenix Police Department created a crisis intervention team in 2000 thatâs specifically trained to deal with behavioral health calls. (Source: Cronkite News)
By Dylan Breese and Dylan McKim | December 16, 2020 at 1:43 PM MST - Updated December 16 at 1:43 PM
PHOENIX â Protesters over the summer called for defunding Phoenix police, motivated in part by deep skepticism about officersâ ability to properly handle mental health crises.
Activists point to police shooting deaths of mentally ill Arizonans in the past as evidence that law enforcement officers need help defusing such situations.