The Mendota Police Department is part of the One Mind Campaign to prepare police officers to help people with mental health crises. Some police departments report up to 20% of their calls for service involve someone in the midst of a mental health challenge. There’s a one-to-three year training commitment and a partnership with a local mental health care provider. Chief Gregory Kellen says Mendota police are already doing it.
Kellen says there’s de-escalation training that can keep someone from doing something dangerous and avoid the need for police to do things that can harm the person.