SHAWANO, WI – Multiple Shawano-area law enforcement agencies have completed an intensive Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training aimed at improving how officers respond to mental health crises in the community. The forty-hour program brought together correctional officers, deputies, and even brand-new recruits for a week of in-depth instruction.
“Probably one of the most important trainings to our officers and to our department,” said Lieutenant Chris Madle of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office. “So it’s a forty-hour training. The people that go through this training are there for eight hours Monday through Friday.”
Madle says the lessons go beyond standard equipment and tactics, focusing instead on communication and de-escalation. “Our biggest tool that we have is our voices and our ability to communicate with people, and that’s exactly what this training does,” he said.
The program included presentations on topics such as veteran PTSD, autism, and schizophrenia, helping officers better understand and respond to individuals in crisis. Officials say the goal is to ensure public safety while also protecting the well-being of those experiencing mental health challenges.
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