Bend police launch crisis response team

The Bend Police Department announced the recent launch of a new team intended to help community members who are dealing with mental health issues.

Several larger cities have created community response teams to better deal with people in crisis.

Bend’s Community Response team is comprised of three officers. Their training was paid for by a grant from the U.S. Justice Department.

The Bethlehem Inn homeless shelter provided shelter and services to more than 1,100 adults and children in crisis last year.

Staff interact with people who may have mental health issues and follow a protocol to make sure they will get the help needed.

“We get our fair share of people who are struggling with mental health concerns and that’s always an issue for us,” Managing Director Chris Clouart said Friday.

The Bethlehem Inn is just one of the 10 partners teaming up with the Community response team to help residents through difficult times.

The Bend Police Department started training its officers in crisis intervention two years ago. The program was launched back in November.

Last year, Bend police responded to about 2,000 mental health calls throughout the city. Police say calls increase from Tuesdays through Fridays.

Police now know they have a resource to help address mental health calls. The team will free up patrol officers because some of these calls can take up three to fours of their time, team member Sgt. Elizabeth Lawrence said Friday.

Lawrence said since the team has gotten to work, the department has the seen the number of mental health 911 calls go down as more people get the help they need.

“Since the team has been in place, we actually have been able to drive down the numbers of visits to the emergency department,” she said.

She said it’s about getting residents the right help they need and to help build a bridge to the community.