City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: FEBRUARY 20, 2013
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to Enhance the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Program Within the Alexandria Police Department.
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of a grant application from the Alexandria Police Department (APD) to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to enhance the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program within the Alexandria Police Department.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Approve the grant application (due March 1, 2013) to the OAG in the amount of $41,335, which will provide funds to the Police Department to enhance the Crisis Intervention Team; and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute all the necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) was created in 2009 to improve the way first responders respond to citizens in a mental health crisis. The CIT program represents a City-wide collaborative effort among the APD, Alexandria Sheriff’s Office (ASO), Alexandria Fire and EMS (AFD), the Department of Emergency Communication (DEC) and the Alexandria Community Services Board (CSB). Each quarter, the CIT program provides a 40 hour specialized training session for police officers, sheriff’s deputies, paramedics, and 911 dispatchers. Since 2009, over 200 first responders have graduated from the program. In past fiscal years, this program was primarily funded using grant funds from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). However, this grant funding has expired. Because of the program’s critical importance to the mental health community, a cost-sharing agreement was developed between multiple City departments to continue the basic CIT program.
DISC...
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