WILMINGTON, DE — In a progressive move set to revolutionize the face of law enforcement in the city, Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and Chief of Police Wilfredo Campos recently announced a new partnership aiming to balance police response with mental health care. The Partners in Care Program, in collaboration with ChristianaCare, is set to redefine true community policing through the integration of trained mental health clinicians in law enforcement programs.
The objective is straightforward yet transformative: police officers will not be alone in dealing with people facing mental and behavioral health challenges. They will be partnered with professional mental health caregivers. The implications are profound for a city grappling with the intertwining issues of crime, mental health, and social welfare. The program marks a forward-thinking approach to law enforcement, where community support goes beyond crime-fighting, directly addressing the root causes of law enforcement interactions.
“Every day, our officers meet individuals in desperate need of mental health support, situations that transcend traditional law enforcement callings,” said Chief Campos. This program recognizes the urgent need for a more sensitive, encompassing response strategy – one that doesn’t solely rely on the traditional law enforcement techniques but blends it with specialized mental health expertise.
This concept isn’t entirely novel. Co-responder teams – a fusion of law enforcement and mental health professionals – have been making strides in other parts of the country. Their success stories are encouraging, with evidence of de-escalation of dangerous situations, prevention of unnecessary injuries, and a decrease in arrests for non-criminal incidents.
The initiative will see the co-responder teams working in two shifts, providing services from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Friday. Each team will comprise a trained mental health clinician from ChristianaCare and a uniformed police officer equipped with 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training. These teams will have the backing of a Community Health Liaison responsible for case management and follow-ups.
Mayor Purzycki lauds this initiative, stating, “This is another milestone in our quest for a holistic approach to law enforcement. We are embracing a culture that transcends traditional policing and tends to the wider gamut of community needs.”
These teams will be identifiable on the streets, with the mental health clinicians donning green ‘Partners in Care’ shirts and traveling in marked patrol vehicles.
The elation at ChristianaCare is palpable. “We are thrilled to join the WPD in addressing the behavioral health needs of our Wilmington neighbors,” said Erin Booker, LPC, Chief Biopsychosocial Officer at ChristianaCare. This collaboration stands as a beacon against the stigma associated with mental health, reinforcing the notion of care being extended to the entire person, not just their presenting issues.
While it’s clear that this initiative is a leap towards a future where law enforcement infuses empathy and specialized care into their approach, its effectiveness will need to be assessed. WPD leadership and ChristianaCare will closely monitor the program, measuring its success through statistics and public reports. The insight gained during this pilot phase will be instrumental in shaping the future direction of this groundbreaking program.
In a city like Wilmington, where community issues often intersect, the Partners in Care Program represents a timely and holistic approach to public safety, affirming the city’s commitment to fostering a safer, healthier, and more inclusive community.
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