BPD Behavioral Response Team

BPD Behavioral Response Team

SOME BOISEANS INFAVOR OFDEFUNDING THEPOLICE ARE UPSETAFTER LEARNINGTHAT THE CITY OFBOISE WILLINCREASE THE BOISEPOLICEDEPARTMENT'SANNUAL BUDGET.MANY GROUPS HAVEEXPRESSED THENEED TO TOREALLOCATE MONEYINTO COMMUNITYPROGRAMS ANDMENTAL HEALTHSERVICES.AND IN THISMORNING'S FINDINGHOPE..

ONE POLICECOMMUNITYPROGRAM HAS BEENDOING JUST THATAND WILL BE ABLE TOMOVE FORWARDWITH EXPANDINGTHANKS TO THEBUDGET INCREASE."I THINK IT WOULDBE NAVE TOSUGGEST THATPOLICE ARE NOTNEEDED IN THESESITUATIONS."PENELOPE HANSENIS A LICENSEDCLINICIAN AND BOISEPOLICEDEPARTMENT'SMENTAL HEALTHCOORDINATOR ONTHE BEHAVIORALHEALTH RESPONSETEAM .

5 YEARSINTO HER ROLE SHESAYS."WE RECOGNIZEPRETTY QUICKLYTHAT THIS TEAMCOULD BE A LOTMORE DYNAMIC IF IHAD AN OFFICER ASA PARTNER."FROM JUNE 2019 TOJUNE 2020 OVER1,600 MENTAL HEALTHRELATED CALLSCAME IN.THEREWERE 37 ARRESTSAND 91 MENTALHOLDS, HANSENSAYS HAVING HERPARTNER; A BOISEPOLICE OFFICEROVER THE LAST YEARIS ALLOWING HER TODO HER JOBSAFELY."THERE'S A LIMIT TOMY SCALE WHENSOMEONE IS INHARMONY, AND ATSOME POINT, I CAN'TPHYSICALLYRESTRAIN THEM TOKEEP THEM FROMHARMINGTHEMSELVESBECAUSE IF I TOUCHTHEM, THEY CALLTHAT YOU KNOWASSAULT ORBATTERY."BLAKE SLATER HASBEEN A POLICEOFFICER FOR 25YEARS.

HE JOINEDB-P-D'S BEHAVIORALHEALTH RESPONSETEAM LAST JUNESAYING CURVEBALLSTHAT HAVE BEENTHROWN IN HIS OWNLIFE HAVE GIVEN HIM."A PERSONALINTEREST IN MENTALHEALTH AND MAKINGSURE PEOPLE GETTO A PLACE OFSAFETY AND GETTREATMENT."EACH DAY SLATERAND HANSEN AREBUSY RESPONDINGTO REPEAT 9-1-1CALLERS.IF A CALLCOMES IN WHENTHEY'RE OFF SHIFT."WE ACTUALLYREVIEW ALL OFTHOSE THAT HAPPENON OUR DAYS OFFOR THE NIGHTBEFORE AND THENWE MAKE A LIST, ANDWE FOLLOW UP WITHEVERY SINGLE ONEOF THOSE."HANSEN ADDS THATWITH TRAINING INCRISIS INTERVENTIONBOISE OFFICERS LIKEHER PARTNE."RARE VERY SKILLEDIN THE ESCALATIONAND KNOW A LOT OFTHE RESOURCESALREADY."IN 2020 THE BOISEPOLICE DEPARTMENTBUDGET ALLOCATEDJUST OVER 70MILLION DOLLARS.THE PROPOSEDBUDGET FOR 20-21 ISJUST OVER 71MILLION DOLLARS,,,SOME OF THE NEWMONEY IS EXPECTEDTO HELP THEDEPARTMENT HIREFIVE IDEALLY NON-TRADITIONALOFFICERS SUCHMENTAL HEALTH ORREFUGEE LIAISONS.

FOR IDAHO NEWSSIX...I'M FRANKIE