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Law enforcement officers train for crises involving mental health

"We are looking for ways to divert people that may not necessarily need to go to jail on a arrest situation, but they are in crisis and they do need help," said Lt. Brian Bush with the Knoxville Police Department.

Dozens of law enforcement officers are now ready to respond when it comes to mental health issues within Knox and Blount counties.

Officers from five agencies graduated Friday afternoon after receiving crisis intervention team training.

"It's critical. Law enforcement is the first call," said Lt. Brian Bush with the Knoxville Police Department.

The training takes place regularly, but this session came before the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center is set to open to help people struggling with mental illness.

MORE: Behavioral health facility to open soon as an alternative to jail

"We are looking for ways to divert people that may not necessarily need to go to jail on a arrest situation, but they are in crisis and they do need help," Bush said.

Soon, some of the people KPD officers come in contact with may end up at the Urgent Care Center.

"The success of the urgent care center really is officers who are well trained. They are going to meet people in the community who are in a distressful situation and help them navigate the system to get the help they need," said Jerry Vagnier, the CEO at Helen Ross McNabb Center.

The center will be operated by Helen Ross McNabb, and is set to open sometime in mid-March.

"We believe the urgent care center's going to help our community because people who don't need to go to jail will get the help they need, and that help will allow them to live a life in recovery," Vagnier said.

For officers like Bush, this training is another tool they can use when deciding if someone needs mental health help or if someone needs to head to jail.

"It's a refresher in active listening skills and another one of the takeaways from me and some of the other officers was just to slow down a little bit, just be a little more patient and just listen," Bush said.

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