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Out Of The Blue

2nd EDITION WINTER 2015

GREENWOOD PD p. 4

BOLO p. 3

Inside this issue:

Editorials: SUICIDE p. 2

Trending Topics:

Resources:

2015 CIT classes p. 4

In the Spotlight:

Recognizing Risk in

Domestic and Deadly

Force Situations: There is a subgroup of

those who attempt suicide

who are worth identifying and

planning for in advance. This

subgroup involves males with

a long history of domestic

conflict, alcohol and drug

abuse, and episodes of escalat-

ing conflict with targeted fe-

males. Children, custody is-

sues, and at times, orders of

protection are involved. Of-

ten, these individuals are well

known to police departments.

And, though suicide threats

may be part of these situa-

tions, the potential for vio-

lence against the women in-

volved in these situations is

often enhanced.

Reduction of the deadly force

risk has to take priority. Getting

other persons out of the house

and removing weapons of risk is

the first objective. Often, if a

person can vent, their crisis is

diminished. Many factors,

though, determine whether this

is possible in a domestic crisis.

Departments need clear guide-

lines for the management and

de-escalation of these types of

domestic crises where suicide

may be an element.

Trending Topics:

Winter 2015

Identifying a Mental Health Crises: 1) Is the person exhibiting depression, psychosis or substance abuse at the time of contact? 2) Have they mentioned the intent to harm themselves recently? 3) Any former suicide attempts? 4) Access to tools to harm self? 5) Any recent significant stressors?(ie-loss of a job, relationship break-up, legal charges, death of a loved one, etc. )

SUICIDE

By Bill Geis

Suicide Risk and the Holidays

Though it is often thought of as a time of high suicide risk, in

fact, the American holiday period from Thanksgiving through New

Year’s is one of the lowest times of suicide on a national scale. The

highest times of risk for suicide are late spring (April-May) and

summer with the winter months representing the lowest risk. Many

explanations for this pattern have been offered. But, many clini-

cians believe that if a person feels down during the winter there is a

kind of congruence, and if that despondency fails to lift with the

emergence of spring, a person at risk can feel an increased sense of

despair.

But, even with suicides down, the holiday period can still be a time

of tremendous stress for many people, and certainly also for the

law enforcement personnel who deal with the consequences of this

stress. The stress of the season affects most people. Financial and

employment problems can be magnified. Loneliness or disruptions

in relationships (separation, divorce, deaths) and echoes of past

traumas can become acute. Domestic violence and the over use of

alcohol and illegal drugs are, of course, common. When there has

been divorce or disruptions in families, disputes about children or

other grievances can often lead to conflict, threats, and violence.

Removing Methods of

Harm:

One of the strongest interven-

tions a police officer can make, in a

situation of potential suicide risk, is

to get the persons in the setting to

restrict the at-risk person’s access to

any means of harm in the house or

living situation. Guns, knives, ropes,

and pills can be locked up in a safe

or the trunk of a car. Hiding things

in the house is not a good idea. A

designated person can wear the key

(to the trunk, for example) or to

the car in the garage around their

neck, even during sleep. Suicidal

acts are often impulsive and if the

method of enacting a suicidal im-

pulse is blocked, suicide risk is di-

minished significantly. A mental

health professional can help the

family know when access to these

methods can be restored. The prob-

lem with guns is that when a gun is

used, 85% of the time the person

dies. This is the most powerful,

immediate intervention anyone can

do.

Three important areas for law enforcement person-

nel in the management of suicide include:

1) Helping persons in mental health crisis receive

screening and skilled intervention

2) Removing access to lethal means within the

community setting

3) Recognizing the suicide potential in situations

involving domestic disputes and situations where

deadly force might be used.

Bill Geis, Ph.D., Professor of Epidemiology, Adjunct Clinical

Professor of Psychiatry, Director of Behavioral Health Research –

UMKC School of Medicine and Kansas City Suicide Awareness

and Prevention Program (KCSAPP), Vice-President for

Programming, with nearly 30 years of experience in research,

teaching and practicing clinical psychology. Dr. Geis practices at

his own clinic, The West Plaza Clinic, in Kansas City.

Be on the lookout

B.O.L.O.

Officer Bowen has been involved in CIT for numerous

years. During this time he has been formally recognized sev-eral times for his outstanding job assisting individuals who are in crisis or have a mental illness. This year, 2014, The Kansas City Police Department is recognizing Officer Mike Bowen as The CIT Officer of the Year for his outstanding valor dealing with a person having suicidal ideation. The specific incident that led to Officer Bowen’s nomina-tion and recognition occurred on 08-12-2014. Officer Bowen was contacted at his residence by his neighbors who needed immediate assistance. Officer Bowen, who was off-duty at this time, was informed by his neighbor that they had just received a disturbing text from her husband that stated,

“I’m down at the river, not enough beer to stop me from cry-ing. I’m going in the river.” Officer Bowen immediately got involved. He spoke to the sub-ject’s son and family members, as well as examined a photo they had of the subject, and deter-mined the subject was likely to be in a wooded area on the Missouri River with a steep em-bankment, near Sugar Creek. He called Sugar Creek PD, and Officers Ricky Greer and Jerry Garcia soon joined him. Officer Bowen located the subject’s locked vehicle, in the area near the river he was known to fish. From there, he was able to locate the subject, who was in the water, and ap-peared to be struggling. When the subject submerged under-water, Officer Bowen and Officer Greer immediately jumped into the river and swam to the subject, pulling him up so he could breathe. Once the subject was pulled from the water, he was transported to the hospital for evaluation. Since this incident Officer Bowen has checked on the welfare of the subject several times. During these conversa-tions the subject informed Officer Bowen he had gone “under the water” at least three times prior to his arrival. He has thanked Officer Bowen for helping him through this dif-ficult time in his life by offering resources as well as his support. Officer Bowen was recently awarded the 2014 CIT Officer of the Year Award (Dougherty Award) and his departments Medal of Valor. All 3 officers will be recognized for their valor and awarded a certificate of Appreciation on January 22, 2015. The ceremony will be at the KC Academy, starting at 6pm.

Officer Bowen will also be awarded the

Medal of Valor in a ceremony on 1/22/15.

A CIT Hero: Written by Sgt. Lawrence White

You get a call to “that house” again. You have their address memorized by now because you’ve been called to their house so many times and it’s always the same old story. There is a program de-signed to help alleviate the number of calls you get to some of these chronic cases and it’s called the Mental Health Court Diversion program. This program serves individuals who have low class felony, misde-meanor, or city ordinance violation charges, and also suffer from a serious and

persistent mental illness (SPMI). While on diversion, participants are required to engage in mental health treatment services in hopes that they won’t continue to re-offend. To graduate from the program successfully, participants must achieve psychiatric stability, main-tain compliance with their treatment services, provide clean drug tests, and appear in court regularly to check in with the judge. Referring someone to mental health court is very easy on your part: simply write “Mental Health Court referral” on the citation. Although it may not seem like it at the time, you’ll be doing yourself and the de-fendant a tremendous favor in the long run.

On The Docket:

Mental Health Court

Christina Cowart is a Mental Health

Court Monitor in Jackson County.

Greenwood, Missouri is

a small town-any way

you look at it. It has a population of 5,387 ac-

cording to the 2013 Census. It covers an area of

about 4 square miles. It has a 12-person Police

Department. However, this small town has a

very “big” CIT department. Greenwood’s CIT

department is comparable to the bigger towns

and cities that surround it in terms of percent-

ages of LEO’s who are CIT trained, and the

CIT policies, procedures, and practices they

have adopted. Greenwood PD in fact has CIT

coverage on every shift, which is something

many larger towns and cities have not yet ac-

complished.

PO Brandon Murray is one of the driv-

ing forces behind Greenwood’s CIT program.

He reports that before he got certified, Green-

wood PD had CIT trained officers, but there

were no CIT policies or procedures in place.

PO Murray reports things were being done “the

old way”: using outdated mental health reports;

focusing on quick resolutions that often in-

volved calling an ambulance. There was little

follow through, and consumers or family mem-

bers were not given many options for assis-

tance. Once the EMT left the scene, Murray

reports he frequently thought, “NOW what?”

He realized that using ambulance calls as a

“cure all” was not always addressing the issue.

In December 2013, Murray and Lieu-

tenant Aaron Fordham attended the week-long

CIT Basic training course. Both admit they had

an “epiphany” of sorts: they began to envision

a better, more holistic approach to policing in-

dividuals with mental health issues. Soon,

building off what they had learned, they devel-

oped a new CIT program for Greenwood PD.

The response was so favorable; Murray reports

that officers began implementing the new poli-

cies “before the ink was dry”.

Murray attributes much of Greenwood’s suc-

cess to the open attitude from upper command.

He reports that starting with Police Chief Greg

Hallgrimson, the support for the CIT program

has had a positive trickle-down effect. “They

[upper command] really see the value in it,” he

states. He further

states that Green-

wood PD is ac-

tively looking at

ways to get more

officers trained in

the near future.

Although the

department is

forward thinking, they have not lost focus on

“small town policing”. “We don’t rush calls,”

Murray states. “One of the luxuries of being a

small department and in a small community,”

he believes, “is being able to take more time on

a call. We are able to then communicate with

individuals on a deeper level and have more

time and ability to follow up.” Greenwood PD

demonstrates a unique balance of being on the

cutting edge with CIT involvement, yet main-

taining the traditions of a small-town police

force. They are a shining example of how a

small department CAN have an active CIT pro-

gram, and how they demonstrate that CIT can

benefit small communities as well.

In The Spotlight Bio’s Page

Out Of The Blue

In The Spotlight:

Jacob Baldwin is an Officer with the Pleasant Val-ley Missouri Police Depart-ment where he has served his communi-ty for the past

2 years. Jacob attended Basic CIT training in December of 2013. He is a military veteran (he served four tours overseas) and he likes fishing, hunting, and spend-ing time with his family. His friends and family would say he is a hard worker and a very dedicated father. On Saturday night, December 13th Officer Baldwin was

shot twice in the face while on duty, con-ducting a traffic stop. His prognosis is good and his spirits are high but he still has a long road ahead.

“Officer Baldwin is an outstanding young man and an asset to the department,” says Pleasant Valley Police Chief Mark Dumolt. “He is an United States Air Force Veteran and a current member of the Air National Guard. He has been deployed four times in the last 14 years, including assignments in Africa, Kuwait, and Iraq. It is ironic that he is seriously injured in his own community and not overseas in a foreign country. This is a reminder of how demanding and dangerous the law enforcement profes-sion is and the risk our officers encounter

every day”. Chief Dumolt goes on to say, “The police in this country have taken a beating in the national media for the past five months and there has been a lot of unsubstantiated rhetoric. However, the Pleasant Valley and the Metropolitan Kansas City community response of well wishes, get well cards, and financial donations has been overwhelming. This demonstrates that the majority of citizens and the public still hold the police in high regard and support local law enforcement”.

Officer Jacob Baldwin Pleasant Valley Police Department

Officer Baldwin with

his daughter

Your prayers are appreciated. If you would like to offer financial support click the link or see the purple box.

AGENCY SPOTLIGHT

GREENWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT CIT COORDINATOR

BRANDON MURRAY

By Heather Umbach

The “Jacob Baldwin Benefit Account” has been established at:

KC Police/Code 1 Credit Union North Branch Office

8320 North Brighton Kansas City, Missouri 64119

By Peggy Gorenflo

http://www.gofundme.com/iyezhk

Out Of The Blue

UPCOMING EVENTS:

CIT Trainings 2015: CIT Advanced

8/20-8/24 Lee's Summit PD

CIT Refresher 9/16 KCPD Academy Auditorium

CIT Veterans 10/21-10/23 KCPD Academy

CIT BASIC 4/20 -4/24 Lee's Summit PD

6/22-6/26 Grandview PD

9/21-9/25 KCPD Academy

11/30-12/4 KCPD Academy

CIT Dispatch 3/25-3/27 KCPD Academy

11/16-11/18 KCPD Academy

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National Suicide Prevention Lifeline-1-800-273-TALK (8255) suicidepreventionlifeline.org

SUICIDE HOTLINES/RESOURCES:

Suicide Prevention Resource Center- http://www.sprc.org

COPLINE- Hotline number- 1-800-267-5463

Out of the Blue Newsletter Committee:

Editors:

Aric Anderson, KCPD

Peggy Gorenflo, MSW

Cheryl Reed, LCSW

Heather Umbach, MS

Sherrie Stafford, LPC

Erica Benson, LPC

Contributing Editors:

Bill Geis, PhD

Sgt. Larry White, KCPD

Christina Cowart, BS

JD Pettey, KCPD

Ashley McCunniff, KCPD

Sheriff Randy Ethington

Sgt. Darrell Schmidli, IPD

Sgt. John Bryant, KCPD

CIT Youth 7/20-7/23 KCPD Academy

MO CIT State Conference 06/02 Columbia, MO

Questions?

Contact Nikk Thompson:

NAMI—(816) 808-9305 or nikk1@comcast.net

ACI Mental Health Crisis Line-1-888-279-8188

Why it is hard to have a boys night out when you are in a relationship: The other night, I was invited out for a night with the “boys”. I told my wife that I would be home by midnight, “I promise!” Well, the hours passed and the beers went down way too easily. Around 3am, a bit loaded, I took a taxi home. Just as I got to the door, the cuckoo clock in the hallway started up and cuckooed 3 times. Quickly, realizing my wife would probably wake up, I cuckooed another 9 times. I was really proud of myself for coming up with such a quick-witted solution, in order to escape a possible conflict with her. (Even when totally smashed...3 cuckoos plus 9 cuckoos totals 12 cuckoos= MIDNIGHT! ) The next morning my wife asked me what time I got in, and I told her “MIDNIGHT”...She didn’t seem mad at all. Whew! I got away with that one! Then she said, “We need a new cuckoo clock.” When I asked her why, she said, “Well, last night our clock cuckooed 3 times, then said, ‘oh sh _ _!’ Cuckooed 4 more times, cleared its throat, cuckooed another 3 times, laughed, cuckooed twice more, and then tripped over the coffee table and farted…”

Out Of The Blue

Liaison Lookout:

In this day and age when men-

tal health services have been depleted

and we as officers are placed in the fore-

front of providing assistance to those

citizens in crisis within our communi-

ties; we need to be cognizant of re-

sources we have available to help these

individuals in their time of need.

One of the resources that we can turn to

as police officers in these situations are

the Community Mental Health Liaison’s

(CMHLs), who are assigned to the local

Community Mental Health Centers

within our community. The CMHLs

review and follow up on all CIT reports

they receive from officers in the field.

They may contact the consumer that has

been in crisis as well as their family

members to identify additional services

that can be accessed for their needs to

work with their mental illness. The fol-

low up assistance that they provide is

crucial in reducing the probability of

future contacts that law enforcement

officers have with these individuals.

On numerous occasions I have contact-

ed one of the CMHLs with regard to a

consumer that I felt needed further fol-

low up and assistance, which has been

very effective in reducing future

calls for service involving

these consumers and getting

them additional services that

they desperately need. To

make contact with your CMHL

you can e mail or call them

advising them of the need for

follow up assistance which I

do on a regular basis.

You also may be contacted

periodically by one of the

CMHLs to conduct residence

checks. This is where they

want to make face to face con-

tact with the consumer to as-

sess the situation in person.

These residence checks are al-

so important in assessing the

consumers situation and what

follow up services are needed.

Please keep this in mind and

assist the CMHLs in these ac-

tivities.

Always keep in mind when

contacting a consumer in cri-

sis, the availability of services provided

by the CMHLs and contact them if you

feel someone needs follow up assis-

tance. Also keep in mind for the

CMHLs to assist you, you need to com-

plete your CIT reports so they can have

available pertinent information with re-

gard to the needs and contact infor-

mation of these individuals.

Cheryl D. Reed, MSW, LCSW

Swope Health Services

Cell: 816-304-1440

Heather Umbach, MS

ReDiscover Mental Health

Office: 816-347-3008

Erica Benson, MS, LPC

Comprehensive Mental Health Services

Cell: 816-289-9172

Sherrie Stafford, MS, LPC

Truman Medical Center

Cell 816-654-3698

Peggy Gorenflo, MSW

Tri-County Mental Health Services

Cell: 816-977-6638

Dawn Morris, MS, LPC

Pathways Community Healthcare

Cell: 660-441-8046

By Sgt. John Bryant

Who You Gonna Call?

Law Enforcement Appreciation Day!

THANK YOU!!

01/09/15 was the 1st annual

Feeling a little...

Melon Collie?