Loudoun County, VA (December 6, 2024): The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) is proud to announce the graduation of 21 sworn and civilian personnel from the 61st Basic Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) program.
The CIT program equips first responders and partner agencies with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to effectively and compassionately assist individuals experiencing acute emotional, psychological, or situational crises. By emphasizing de-escalation techniques, active listening, empathy, and culturally sensitive approaches, the training aims to minimize harm, provide immediate support, and facilitate recovery. The program promotes the safety and well-being of both individuals in crisis and the broader community.
Loudoun’s CIT training program is a collaborative effort among the LCSO, Loudoun County Mental Health, Substance Abuse & Developmental Health Services (MHSADS), The Arc of Loudoun, Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Northern Virginia, and the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
This graduating class included representatives from the LCSO, as well as the Fire Marshal’s Office, George Mason University Police Department, Jefferson County (WV) Sheriff’s Department, Juvenile Court Services, Leesburg Police Department, and Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue Systems.
The week-long training program was led by professionals from Loudoun MHSADS, certified LCSO CIT Sheriff’s Deputies, and other experts in the field. The curriculum covered the medical, social, psychological, and legal aspects of mental illness.
In 2019, in partnership with MHSADS, the LCSO conducted the first-ever three-day advanced CIT training in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Additionally, the LCSO became the first law enforcement agency in the state to hold Advanced CIT for School Resource Officers, focusing on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially children.
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