04-04-2025
Mahoning County recognizes responders with critical incident training
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Leaders with the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board honored some of the area's finest Friday afternoon.
Read next: Ohio unveils new system for unclaimed funds
Twenty officers from different agencies were recognized for completing a course in Critical Incident Management.
Organizers started offering it nearly 20 years ago.
The 40-hour program trains officers on how to improve their responses in cases involving those with mental health and drug addiction issues, as well as domestic violence and other high-stress cases.
'It teaches them how to de-escalate situations,' Duane Piccirilli with the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board said. 'People who are experiencing mental health issues that are addicted will react differently, so we wanna keep our officers safe first and also protect our consumers and their families.'
Each of the twenty graduates was presented with a certificate and a special 'C-I-T' pin for their uniforms.
'Just based on my personal experience, I would say probably 90-95 percent of my caseload has some sort of mental illness or substance abuse disorders,' Marissa Frasure with the Ohio Adult Parole Authority said. 'We go out to a house, and we never know what state of mind somebody may be in.'
Organizers tell First News at least one member of every law enforcement agency in Mahoning County has completed the course, and there are now Critical Incident Teams in all 88 counties in Ohio.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
