IACP

Manchester-by-the-Sea Police Complete One Mind Campaign Pledge to Better Serve those Suffering from Mental Illness

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Manchester-by-the-Sea Police Department
Todd Fitzgerald, Interim Chief of Police
10 Central Street
Manchester by the Sea, MA 01944

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Manchester-by-the-Sea Police Complete One Mind Campaign Pledge to Better Serve those Suffering from Mental Illness

MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA — Interim Chief Todd Fitzgerald is pleased to announce that the Manchester-by-the-Sea Police Department has completed its pledge through the One Mind Campaign to improve its response to those suffering from mental illness.

In October 2017, the Manchester Police Department pledged to join the One Mind Campaign, an initiative that was started by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in an effort to improve the interactions between law enforcement agencies and those with mental illnesses. Departments that pledge to join the campaign are challenged to implement practices within their agency to improve mental health programming, training and procedure within a one to three year time period.

The IACP also provides resources to departments that pledge to join the One Mind Campaign, including a toolkit produced by the Bureau of Justice Assistance with resources for law enforcement agencies looking to partner with mental health providers, a model policy for law enforcement when responding to persons suffering from mental illness, and resources for planning mental health first aid and crisis intervention team program trainings.

“By pledging to this campaign it provided our officers the necessary tools and the ability to take a more proactive approach to helping residents affected by mental illness,” Chief Fitzgerald said.

The Manchester Police Department has implemented several initiatives to improve its mental health relations, including the establishment of a sustainable relationship with Lahey Behavioral Health, the creation and implementation of a model policy to address officers’ interactions with those affected by mental illness and mental health awareness and crisis intervention training for all full-time staff.

Manchester Police Sgt. Stephen Louf and Essex Police Sgt. Paul Francis have also organized and spearheaded the creation of an Overdose Outreach Follow-Up Team, comprised of members from both departments as well as Lahey Behavioral Health professionals and representatives from One Stop, a free prevention and screening service based out of Gloucester. The Overdose Outreach Follow-Up Team will meet with residents who have experienced a recent overdose and offer a variety of treatment options for substance abuse recovery.

“We need to take a proactive approach when dealing with mental illness,” Chief Fitzgerald said. “Even though our yearly numbers are small, if we can make a difference in one person’s life, then I feel that this team has done its job.”

The Manchester Police Department received a certificate of completion for fulfilling the goals of its One Mind Pledge from the IACP in May.

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North Reading Police Implement Several Strategies to Address Mental Health and Wellness

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NRPD BADGE

North Reading Police Department
Chief Michael P. Murphy
150 Park St.
North Reading, MA 01864

For Immediate Release

Friday, June 7, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

North Reading Police Implement Several Strategies to Address Mental Health and Wellness

NORTH READING — Chief Michael P. Murphy is pleased to announce that the North Reading Police Department has fulfilled its commitment to improving services for those suffering from mental illness in its community.

By completing the commitment it made under the One Mind pledge, the North Reading Police Department has dramatically increased its capacity for supporting the mental health needs of the residents it serves.

The One Mind Campaign pledge is an initiative spearheaded by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), a 30,000 member professional association for law enforcement that provides training, technical assistance and recruitment services.

To join the One Mind Campaign, law enforcement agencies must pledge to implement four promising practices in a 12-36 month period to ensure successful future interactions between police officers and people with mental illness. North Reading Police first took the One Mind Pledge in 2018

To do so, the North Reading Police established a sustainable partnership with Eliot Community Human Services, developed and implemented a model policy to guide officers’ interactions with those affected by mental illness, and ensured that all of its officers received some type of mental health awareness training, with 40 percent of the department completing the more intensive crisis intervention training.

The 40-hour crisis intervention curriculum is designed by local agencies to train a team of specialized officers to respond to calls that involve individuals with mental health disorders, such as depression or intellectual disability. The curriculum includes education on various deescalation techniques as well as live role-play scenarios of officers responding to persons who need mental health assistance.

In addition, the North Reading Police Department has extended its commitment to those affected by mental illness by hiring a full-time mental health clinician who works in collaboration with officers on calls involving a person in crisis.

“Adopting these strategies and practices gives all of our officers a much deeper understanding of the unique challenges experienced by those living with mental illness and prepares them to best communicate with and serve those individuals,” Chief Murphy said. “I’m proud of the commitment and dedication our team showed in first adopting, and now living up to the One Mind Pledge.”

According to the World Health Organization, one in four people will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder at some point in their lives. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that nearly half of Americans suffering from a disorder go untreated. Such disorders, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, are the third most common cause of hospitalization in the U.S. for both youth and adults aged 18–44.

For more information about the One Mind Campaign, please visit the IACP’s website: http://www.theiacp.org/onemindcampaign/. A list of all agencies who have taken the pledge is also available there. For more information about the North Reading Police Department program, please visit their website at nrpd.org.

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Winthrop Police Department Implements Mental Health and Substance Use Policies as Part of One Mind Pledge

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Winthrop Police Department
Chief Terence M. Delehanty
3 Metcalf Square
Winthrop, MA 02152

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Winthrop Police Department Implements Mental Health and Substance Use Policies as Part of One Mind Pledge

IACP Project Manager Michael Fergus and Winthrop Police Sgt. Sarko Gergerian. (Courtesy Photo)

Winthrop – Chief Terence Delehanty is pleased to announce that the Winthrop Police Department joined the One Mind Campaign earlier this year, and that the department became a pledge compliant agency over the summer.

The One Mind Pledge is an effort to improve law enforcement interactions with those affected by mental illness.

Chief Delehanty took the pledge on behalf of his department in February, and the Winthrop Police Department earned compliance status on July 1.

The One Mind Campaign seeks to ensure successful interactions between police officers and persons affected by mental illness. To join the campaign, law enforcement agencies must commit to implementing four critical practices over a 12–36-month time frame.

They are:

  • Establish a clearly defined and sustainable partnership with one or more community mental health organization(s)
  • Develop and implement a model policy addressing police response to persons affected by mental illness
  • Train and certify 100 percent of the department’s sworn officers (and selected non-sworn staff, such as dispatchers) in Mental Health First Aid
  • Provide Crisis Intervention Team training to a minimum of 20 percent of sworn officers (and selected non-sworn staff, such as dispatchers)

The Winthrop Police Department has partnered with the Boston Medical Center, developed two policies related to mental health and substance use response, and trained and certified all officers in Mental Health First Aid and the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team training.

Winthrop Police’s NARCAN Policy ensures rapid deployment of the life saving medicine to keep people alive so they may discover recovery following an overdose event.

The department’s Recovery Team Deployment Policy, which is the first of its kind, was shared with the International Association of Chiefs of Police. It forges a connection between the police department with the health department to address mental health and substance use challenges in an evidence based, holistic and comprehensive manner before, during and after emergency services are rendered.

“These policies combine to provide immediate lifesaving assistance to members of our community who are affected by mental health or substance use challenges,” Chief Delehanty said. “Honoring the One Mind Pledge ensures that we’re providing an all-encompassing and modern policing model that’s responsive and respectful of the needs of the people we serve.” 

The creation of a Crisis Intervention Team is an especially important milestone for police departments, as it provides officers vital skills, including verbal de-escalation, scenario-based training and personal interactions with mental health professionals. Officers also learn from people who have experienced and recovered from mental health crises, as well as family members who have likewise been affected by mental illness.

According to the World Health Organization, one in four people will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder at some point in their lives. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that nearly half of Americans suffering from a disorder do so untreated. Such disorders, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, are the third most common cause of hospitalization in the U.S. for both youth and adults aged 18–44.

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Plymouth County Outreach Honored With National Community Policing Award

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Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-742-3922
Email: [email protected]

Plymouth County Outreach Honored With National Community Policing Award

ORLANDO, FLORIDA — The Police Chiefs of Plymouth County are pleased to announce that Plymouth County Outreach (PCO) was awarded the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Leadership in Community Policing Award Tuesday night.

Several PCO representatives were in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday to accept the award during the 2018 IACP Annual Conference and Exposition – including many Plymouth County police chiefs, District Attorney Timothy Cruz and Sheriff Deputy Superintendent James Muscato.

The Leadership in Community Policing Award recognizes outstanding community policing initiatives undertaken by law enforcement agencies across the world. The award is given to police agencies whose best practices in community policing utilize collaboration and partnerships to make their communities safer. PCO received the award for its continued, collaborative efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.

“Being recognized among our peer police chiefs from across the country and the world was truly an honor,” said East Bridgewater Police Chief Scott Allen, who attended the event. “Plymouth County Outreach, and the collaborative approach we have taken with our partners in law enforcement, is truly helping to break down the stigma of addiction. It’s an honor to have our efforts and approach recognized as a success.”

The IACP Annual Banquet featured the formal swearing-in of the IACP president and board of officers and the presentation of the Leadership Awards. The a black-tie affair Tuesday night featured music and dancing in the ballroom of the Orange County Convention Center.

The IACP conference was held from Oct. 6-9 and was highlighted by a visit and speech from President Donald Trump on Monday, who heralded the efforts of law enforcement officers and stressed the importance of officer safety.

“We believe Plymouth County Outreach is a vital resource to the residents in our communities and it is our mission to continue to help those struggling with addiction,” said Plymouth Police Chief Michael Botieri, who also attended Tuesday’s ceremony. “Being honored with this award will only strengthen our approach and I look forward to seeing what PCO can accomplish in the future.”

Last week, PCO was awarded a $500,000 grant as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Program through the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant funds will allow PCO to hire two full-time program coordinators and will help to improve its data-collecting and data analyzing capabilities.

Plymouth County Outreach is an opioid prevention and recovery coalition made up of 27 municipal police departments in Plymouth County, along with the Bridgewater State University Police.

In addition to its partners, PCO has a Chiefs Advisory Board that includes Brockton Signature Healthcare’s Dr. Daniel Muse, South Shore Hospital’s Dr. Jason Tracy and Timothy Quigley, Plymouth Public Health Director Dr. Nathaniel Horowitz-Willis and Beth Israel Deaconess-Plymouth’s Dr. Alejandro Dan Mendoza.

About Plymouth County Outreach:

Plymouth County Outreach is a collaborative of police departments throughout Plymouth County led by the following chiefs: Abington Chief David Majenski, Bridgewater Chief Christopher Delmonte, Bridgewater State University Chief David Tillinghast, Brockton Chief John Crowley, Brockton Police Lt. Richard Linehan, Carver Chief Marc Duphily, Duxbury Chief Matthew Clancy, East Bridgewater Chief Scott Allen, Halifax Chief Ted Broderick, Hanover Chief Walter Sweeney, Hanson Chief Michael Miksch, Hingham Chief Glenn Olsson, Hull Chief John Dunn, Kingston Chief Maurice Splaine, Lakeville Chief Frank Alvihiera, Marion Chief John Garcia, Marshfield Chief Phillip Tavares, Mattapoisett Chief Mary Lyons, Middleboro Chief Joseph Perkins, Norwell Chief Ted Ross, Pembroke Chief Richard Wall, Plymouth Chief Michael Botieri, Plympton Chief Patrick Dillon, Rochester Chief Robert Small, Rockland Chief John Llewellyn, Scituate Chief Michael Stewart, Wareham Chief John Walcek, West Bridgewater Chief Victor Flaherty and Whitman Chief Scott D. Benton.

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