Photo: the 2025 graduating class with regional law enforcement and La Plata County Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, keynote speaker
Law enforcement representatives, co-responders, and fire department staff from across the region participated in the 22nd Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) in southwest Colorado. Since its inception in April 2003, this groundbreaking program has been a model of collaboration and innovation, profoundly impacting rural law enforcement. Participants came from various agencies, including the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, Durango Police Department, Cortez Police Department, the State Patrol, the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, the Upper Pine Fire Department, the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Lewis Police Department, and the Southern Ute Tribal Police.
Axis and La Plata County formed the third CIT partnership in the country, the very first initiative of its kind to be implemented in a rural or frontier region. Over the past two decades, CIT has successfully transformed how law enforcement and community partners address mental health crises. La Plata County partly funds the program, and staff from Axis, the Durango Police Department, and the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office contribute their time and expertise.
The 40-hour CIT training provides law enforcement officers with invaluable tools to respond with empathy, understanding, and competence when engaging with individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges. A unique and powerful component of this program is the sharing of personal stories by individuals and family members with lived experience of mental illness or substance use. These stories foster deep understanding and compassion, with many officers highlighting this as one of the most impactful aspects of the training.
CIT Training Colorado Benefits
The benefits of CIT programs are undeniable, as they help divert individuals with serious mental illness toward treatment and recovery rather than incarceration. By focusing on treatment-first approaches, CIT not only reduces arrests but also increases the likelihood that individuals receive the mental health services they need and reduces the risk of injuries during mental health crisis calls.
By bringing together community leaders, law enforcement, and behavioral health experts, the CIT program has improved rural Colorado’s law enforcement crisis response landscape.
For more information about CIT Training and ongoing efforts to support mental health and wellness, please contact emailus@axishealthsystem.org.
Learn more about CIT from NAMI here: Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Programs | NAMI