The Basalt Police Department is asking for $130,000 to fund a better mental-health support system for officers and community members in crisis. They’ve applied for a “Peace Officer Mental Health Support” grant through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.
A portion of the grant money would directly assist police officers, who are often first on the scene when responding to crisis. Basalt Police Chief Greg Knott said it’s a demanding job and officers need support.
"Law enforcement officers go to a lot of scenes and they see a lot of things that not everyone else sees. And all of those images - do have an impact on officers. And something we can do, is go talk about that" said Knott.
Money would be used to provide additional counseling services for police officers who can struggle with mental health issues after responding to traumatic events.
They also hope to strengthen their ties with the Aspen Hope Center to assist members of the public who are in crisis.
"We’re seeing more calls that involve mental health, and this is our way to better serve individuals that are facing mental health crisis," said Knott.
A portion of the grant would fund the Hope Center crisis hotlines and pay for a dedicated on-call mental health professional. This person would help officers respond to people with mental health disorders in crisis, and to work with individuals and families after traumatic events.