MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – Meridian Police Officers Casey Vanderslice and James Wiggins II were among 11 law enforcement professionals who graduated Friday from the East Mississippi Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program.
The officers completed a 40-hour Basic Crisis Intervention Team Officer Training program, which was designed to teach law enforcement officers effective communication strategies for interacting with individuals in crisis. The training helps officers de-escalate emotionally charged situations and resolve them peacefully.
The training program was attended by officers from law enforcement agencies across the region, including the Meridian, Lauderdale County, Webster County, Carthage, Waynesboro, and Kosciusko police and sheriff’s departments. The initiative is funded by a grant from the Mississippi Department of Mental Health through the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department.
The East Mississippi CIT program equips officers with the skills needed to handle crises involving individuals experiencing mental health challenges or emotional distress. By enhancing communication and de-escalation techniques, the program aims to improve public safety and promote more positive outcomes for those in crisis.
