Sterling Officers Complete Crisis Intervention Training to Strengthen Mental Health Response

The Sterling Police Department added three crisis-certified officers to its ranks as School Resource Officers Vickie Taylor and Jordan Fleharty, joined by soon-to-be Officer Michael Fritch, completed the rigorous Crisis Intervention Team training that credentials law enforcement to manage mental health emergencies.

The CIT certification requires a 40-hour curriculum delivered across five consecutive days. The course covers recognizing the signs of mental illness, applying de-escalation communication techniques, working through scenario-based role play, and connecting people in crisis to community resources rather than defaulting to arrest. Colorado's Behavioral Health Administration notes that residents dialing 911 during a mental health emergency can specifically request a CIT-certified officer.

For Taylor and Fleharty, the credential adds formal structure to situations already woven into their daily work. As Sterling's two school resource officers, they operate in environments where student mental health crises can surface without warning. The CIT framework gives them a standardized, statewide protocol for those encounters, built on collaboration with mental health professionals and community organizations.

Fritch's inclusion in the cohort carries its own significance. Completing the 40-hour training before being sworn in as a Sterling officer signals the department's intent to integrate crisis intervention preparation from the earliest stage of an officer's career.

The Crisis Intervention Teams Association of Colorado has overseen statewide CIT standardization since 2008. The program traces its roots to a Memphis model developed in the late 1980s that has since spread to law enforcement agencies across the country.

With Taylor, Fleharty, and Fritch now certified, the Sterling Police Department can deploy a crisis-trained officer across a broader array of shifts and settings, including the schools where two of the three newly credentialed officers report each morning.