16 New Members Join Maui Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team

The Maui Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team welcomed 16 new members to its list of trained personnel during a graduation ceremony on Friday, April 23, 2021.  

The class, consisting of officers from the Maui Police Department, and security staff from Honua Kai Resort and Spa, and Puamana Community Association, completed 40 hours of training earlier during the week. 

This is the ninth class to complete the program since it was first launched in 2013.  The program was the first-of-its-kind in the state, now consisting of 126 individuals ranging in personnel from the Maui Police Department; Sherriff’s Office, Maui Fire Department, Maui Memorial Medical Center security staff, Maui Prosecutor’s Office, Maui Community Correctional Center officers, Maui Community Mental Health Center, National Park Service, Family Life Center, security staff from Queen Ka’ahumanu Center, Fairmont Kea Lani, Honua Kai Resort and Spa, and Puamana Community Association.

The team, trained under the guidance of Dr. Alicia Rodriguez, Clinical Psychologist of Waves of Insight, was the first class in the state to start CIT training since the COVID-19 pandemic began.  

Guest instructors included representatives from Aloha House, Aloha Psychological Services, Consumers & Family Panel, Family Life Center, Hale O Lanakila “Club House”; Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center, Maui Community Mental Health Center, Maui Police Department – CIT Members, Mental Health America, Mental Health Kōkua, Maui Memorial Medical Center Emergency Room, and Molokini Unit, State of Hawaiʻi, Department of Health, Maui District Health Office, VA Pacific Islands, Maui CBOC, and Queens Hospital.

The hands-on training addresses how to interact with individuals potentially suffering from a mental illness or experiencing an emotional crisis.  It focuses on de-escalating a situation before it reaches a point of violence or self-harm while ensuring the individuals receive the appropriate response and care they need. 

The CIT training is part of the Maui Police Department’s Critical Outreach and Response through Education unit that works with community agencies on issues including houseless individuals, and those suffering from mental illness.