With the exception of some outside markings, this SUV is equipped exactly like a regular police vehicle.
It’s the people inside who are different.
Wednesday launched the Marcus Alert Co-Response Program between Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services and area law enforcement agencies.
Two full-time mental health clinicians will be teamed with an officer from either Danville or Pittsylvania County to respond to a behavioral situation.
Danville Police Department officer Tyrone Russell explains the vehicle used for the Marcus Alert Co-Response Program.
The Virginia General Assembly established the Marcus Alert system, named after Marcus-David Peters, who was killed during an encounter with Richmond law enforcement officers.
The unarmed man was shot while having a mental health crisis.
The new program for Danville and Pittsylvania County will provide specialized care for these kinds of situations.
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Individuals involved in the Marcus Alert Co-Response Program stand alongside the response vehicle outside of the Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services crisis center.
“This act set in place the framework to direct and support the implementation of programs that work to reduce the possibility of tragic outcomes between law enforcement officers and persons experiencing mental health crises,” Danville Police Department Chief Chris Wiles said last week when the new program was explained.
Officers often wear many hats, like investigator, emergency medical provider, peacekeeper, mediator, relationship counselor, social service worker and emergency behavioral assessor.
“And while we have to be jacks of all trades in many areas, we certainly aren't, nor are we expected to be experts in them,” Wiles said.
While responses to mental health emergencies have improved in the past few years, this program adds another trained professional to the team.
“We have no doubt this program will save lives.”
The Marcus Alert Co-Response Program SUV is equipped like a police response vehicle but with different signage.
Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office deputy Richie Guill and Danville Police Department officer Tyrone Russell are the law enforcement side.
Ava Stevenson and Brittany Holland are clinicians, and Elizabeth Wiles is a peer support specialist with community services.
There are also six other back-up clinicians.
The teams will be on duty for 12-hour shifts seven days a week during peak times for mental health calls.
When the team responds, they will perform an assessment to see what’s needed as a next step.
“In a nutshell, I think it's the right time, the right place with the right professionals to better serve our communities in the mental health field,” Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor said.
The system is designed to prioritize de-escalation in the response as well as scale back what’s often thought of as unnecessary involvement with the criminal justice system when it comes to behavioral health crises.
It also strengthens coordination among emergency dispatch, behavioral health professionals, and law enforcement.
Special equipment for the Marcus Alert Co-Response Program is on display at the Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services crisis center.
Taylor also praised the county’s board of supervisors for providing the funding to be part of the partnership.
The side of the vehicle has the numbers 988, which is a national suicide and crisis hotline.
When someone calls 911 in this situation, the dispatcher is trained to assess the situation. Sometimes all that’s needed is to transfer a person to 988.
The next level would be a mobile crisis response, where an assessment is needed.
The third level would be the co-response system, where a law enforcement officer and a clinician are in the vehicle together.
There is a fourth level, which would mean calling all authorities and emergency personnel to respond.
After some de-escalation, the co-response team can proceed.
“Those seconds and minutes from the time that officers or deputies are dispatched to a scene, those are the most crucial,” Wiles said.
