The groton police department will use FY24 safer outcome funding to bolster their agency capacity to effectively manage mental health crises

The Groton Police Department was awarded a $193,270 Project Grant under the U.S. Department of Justice's Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Grants program (CFDA 16.710) to enhance their capacity to effectively manage mental health crises. The funding will be used to provide specialized training and scenario-based exercises to equip all officers with advanced crisis intervention and de-escalation skills. Key components include Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) certification, negotiator training, and regular refresher courses. The goals are to reduce use-of-force incidents in mental health crises, and strengthen community safety and trust through a more compassionate response to such emergencies. The project's performance period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026.

This project aims to enhance officers' DE-escalation skills and crisis response capabilities through specialized training and scenario-based exercises. Key components include CIT certification for all officers, specialized negotiator training, and regular refresher courses to ensure up-to-date skills retention. The project's goals are to equip officers with advanced crisis intervention skills, reduce use-of-force incidents in mental health crises, and enhance community safety and trust. Evaluation will be conducted through quantitative analysis of use-of-force incidents and feedback from both officers and community stakeholders. The budget includes costs for training, personnel replacement costs, certifying trainers, and administrative support essential for program success. By investing in this initiative, the groton police department aims to foster safer outcomes for individuals in crisis and strengthen community relations, ensuring a safer and more compassionate response to mental health emergencies.