Organizations learn how to help de-escalate high stress crisis situations

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Monday, the Rapid City Police Department started a crisis intervention team training for partners of the department.

Crisis intervention team training is designed to give officers the skills necessary to de-escalate situations involving people afflicted by mental illness. Now the RCPD is bringing this training to local organizations.

“When you find someone in a crisis, and their life is falling apart and you wanna move them through that crisis and get them to the help they need, that’s the training we’re bringing. Its exciting to work with our partners that are in this everyday. We lean into them like superstars, that are out there helping people get the healing they need,” said Eric Dwyer, youth outreach officer for the RCPD.

Organizations such as Jouney On and S.T.E.P.S by Journey On, learn topics like understanding various forms of mental illness and suicide prevention.

“I think that we should do this as much as possible. I don’t think one or two trainings is enough. I think continuing to do these trainings and refreshing ourselves, because I think that a lot of the crisis that were learning about change over the years, and I think that we should evolve along with those things and learn up to date fresh information about it, so that we’re always helping more efficiently,” said Krystal Rencountre, director of S.T.E.P.S., Journey On.

The participants learn about multiple different mental illnesses and with the help of therapists and counselors the students will be able teach what they learned to others in the community

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