Tinley Park Cops, Trinity Health Launch Crisis Intervention Team

TINLEY PARK, IL — The Tinley Park Police Department has teamed up with Orland Park police to form a Crisis Intervention Team, meant to respond exclusively to mental health issues while on duty.

The team, which officials told Patch will be made up of 13 officers, is made possible by a grant from Trinity Health Services. Officers will be in contact with mental health professionals at Trinity via an iPad the officers will carry with them while responding to mental health or substance abuse crises.

"Sometimes, situations involving people with mental health issues can escalate quickly because responding officers aren’t aware there is an underlying issue or issues causing the behavior," said Tinley Park Deputy Chief Lawrence Rafferty. “This helps to correct that by giving officers the tools and training they need to deal with those situations appropriately.”

Trinity will have access to data collected from the Crisis Intervention Team calls and use it to "better serve those with mental health issues," the health center said in a statement.

Rafferty said the force's main goal is to train about 50 percent of officers in crisis intervention, which would put about two to three CIT-certified officers on duty every shift. The certification requires 40 hours of training.

Those who call 9-1-1 will still have to request a CIT officer if they have an emergency they believe involves someone with a mental health or substance abuse issue.

“With mental health centers closing across the area, many people in need of real help oftentimes don’t get it,” Rafferty said. “This can help.”