Representatives of the National Police of Ukraine attended the International Crisis Intervention Team Conference in Indianapolis and visited a crisis center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Ukrainian police officers learned about the U.S. crisis response system, which brings together law enforcement, medical and social workers.
This was reported by Embassy of the United States in Kyiv.
The main goal of the Crisis Intervention Team is to prevent crisis situations involving people with mental disorders and PTSD, including war veterans. The system includes the work of crisis teams that provide comprehensive assistance at the scene and, if necessary, accompany the person to medical facilities.
Ukrainian police officers participated in patrols with their U.S. counterparts, learning how to communicate in the field. They also attended a conference with more than 1,800 U.S. police officers, where they learned about crisis response techniques and the use of emotional intelligence.
"Often these people are confused and suffering from their own emotions. We need to support them as much as possible and keep them safe. To that end, the crisis team includes police officers, psychologists and social workers. When we arrive at a call involving a person with a fragile mental state, the psychologist and social worker follow an algorithm where we provide a range of services on the spot and accompany the person to a medical facility if necessary",said Steve Johnson, director of the Colorado Springs Health and Community Center.
Roy Eckert, President of CIT International, expressed his support for the Ukrainian police officers and noted that the CIT system is planned to be implemented in Ukraine.
"In the future, CIT will be implemented in Ukraine. We are confident that your experience and courage will be a solid foundation for the development of such a project in your country. After all, not only civilians, but also military personnel returning to normal life after being injured need support and assistance",said Roy Eckert.
Author: Danylo Pievchev