Training cops to handle mental health crises is key, experts say. One SC man's story explains why.

May 17, 2026 - 08:19

Sending a South Carolina police officer to a five-day crisis intervention training course can pull them off the street and strain an already thin roster. It is a logistical headache for small departments and a temporary hit to manpower. But law enforcement experts and mental health advocates argue that the short-term cost is nothing compared to the long-term cost of a call gone wrong.

The need for this kind of training is stark. Officers are often the first responders to someone in the middle of a psychotic episode, a suicidal breakdown, or a severe panic attack. Without the right tools, a tense situation can escalate into tragedy. A single story from South Carolina illustrates the stakes. A man struggling with bipolar disorder was pacing on a bridge, ready to jump. The first officer on scene did not bark orders or reach for a taser. Instead, he sat down on the pavement, kept his voice low, and talked about fishing. He had taken the crisis intervention course. He knew that demanding compliance would only spike the man's adrenaline. He waited. After forty-five minutes, the man stepped away from the railing and agreed to get help.

Proponents of the training say it changes an officer's entire mindset. Instead of seeing a combative subject, they learn to see a person in distress. They practice de-escalation techniques, learn to recognize signs of mental illness, and understand how to connect people with treatment instead of jail. Critics acknowledge that pulling officers for a full week is hard on small agencies. But they point to the alternative: an arrest that leads to a revolving door of court dates, or a shooting that leaves a family shattered and a department under investigation. For many, the math is simple. A five-day course is a small investment to keep someone alive.