NEW PHILADELPHIA -  The Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office will host a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training from February 3rd to February 7th at the Tuscarawas County Justice Center.  The course teaches officers how to safely interact with those experiencing a mental health crisis and to serve as the primary responders to all calls relating to persons with mental illness.  This is the 5th time that officers in our county have had this opportunity.

“The Sheriff’s Office is committed to supporting on-going crisis intervention training for its staff to assist with intervention with the mentally ill. If we teach officers to deescalate the situation, the outcomes are better for the community, family members, and the person struggling with the illness,” says Sheriff Orvis Campbell.

The plan is to have several attendees from the Sheriff’s Office, attendees from New Philadelphia Fire Department, Adult Parole Authority, Uhrichsville Police Department, Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital Security, Dover Police Department as well as possible attendees from other departments.

Says Campbell, “We hope to train more law enforcement as years go by in order to get all officers in Tuscarawas County trained in CIT. Our goal is to provide yearly CIT training.  With CIT, officers can more effectively handle the situation and link the individual with treatment, instead of jail.”

TUSCARAWAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE