The hialeah police department (HPD) is leading a comprehensive, multi-agency initiative through the west miami-dade crisis response coalition to enhance public safety and improve outcomes in law…

The Community Oriented Policing Program (COPS Office) awarded the City of Hialeah, acting through its Police Department, $500,000 on October 1, 2025, under the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Grants program (CFDA 16.710).

The Hialeah Police Department is leading a multi-agency initiative through the West Miami-Dade Crisis Response Coalition to deliver two evidence-based crisis response training programs. A 40-hour Crisis Response Intervention Training (CRIT) course will train 90 officers, and an 80-hour Advanced Crisis Response Education, Safety, and Training (CREST) program will train 144 officers. Together these programs equip officers with de-escalation skills, behavioral health assessment capabilities, and trauma-informed response practices. The training standardizes crisis intervention approaches across eight West Miami-Dade jurisdictions and strengthens interagency coordination. Grant funding supports training delivery, instructional materials, program evaluation, and internal capacity building to sustain and expand the effort.

Period of performance runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. Work is performed in Hialeah, Florida.

The hialeah police department (HPD) is leading a comprehensive, multi-agency initiative through the west miami-dade crisis response coalition to enhance public safety and improve outcomes in law enforcement encounters involving individuals in crisis. This initiative centers on two evidence-based training programs: a 40-hour in-house crisis response intervention training (CRIT) course and an 80-hour advanced crisis response education, safety, and training (CREST) program. Together, these trainings will equip officers with the skills to safely DE-escalate high-stress situations, identify behavioral health needs, and collaborate effectively with community-based providers. Over the two-year grant period, 90 officers will complete CRIT and 144 will complete CREST, strengthening cross-agency coordination and standardizing trauma-informed response practices across eight west miami-dade jurisdictions. Grant funding will support training delivery, instructional materials, evaluation, and internal capacity building to sustain and expand this effort long-term. The project will help institutionalize best practices, strengthen interagency partnerships, and foster long-term trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.