Dr. Debra Warner's forensic psychology students are using psychology to help the Los Angeles Police Department fight crime. Through Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), they are teaching LAPD personnel to apply psychology to situations that range from de-escalating domestic violence to dealing with mentally ill offenders.
The program trains law enforcement officers to recognize mental illness, diffuse potential conflicts, and refer people to the mental health care system. Participants benefit from lectures and exercises that focus on suicide prevention, detecting psychosis, addressing paranoia, and interacting with an individual experiencing PTSD.
Dr. Warner has seen positive results.
"I have noticed that after giving a training, participants feel more empowered. It's because they have tools to perform better in their job, or at least feel more confident that they are reacting appropriately to someone with mental health issues."
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