Two Officers Receive Individual Awards
The Missouri Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Council has received exciting news. Detective Jason Klaus, Missouri CIT Coordinator, was given the 2020 CIT International Coordinator of the Year Award and Corporal Leann Robertson, with the Rolla Police Department, was named the 2020 CIT International First Responder of the Year!
The Missouri CIT Council and specific members have been recognized internationally for the past five years.
Det. Jason Klaus – 2020 CIT International Coordinator of the Year
Det. Klaus is with the Perry County Sheriff’s Department and was chosen for his strong leadership of the Missouri CIT Council. He has done a tremendous job of helping CIT thrive and expand throughout the state. He does an excellent job of engaging with different levels of support and promotes CIT well beyond the trainings. He encourages fellow law enforcement officers to become CIT specialists.
Cpl. Leann Robertson – 2020 CIT International First Responder of the Year
Cpl. Robertson is with the Rolla Police Department and is recognized as an officer who demonstrates exemplary CIT knowledge and skills. She does a great job of sharing her knowledge of community resources and can successfully de-escalate tense situations. Cpl. Robertson has good relationships with her mental health community and shows true compassion to individuals and families who struggle with mental illness and substance use disorders.
The Missouri CIT program is a partnership that includes law enforcement, behavioral health providers, hospitals, the court system, individuals with lived experience and community partners who are dedicated to implementing the Missouri Model of CIT.
The goals of CIT are:
- Promote more effective interactions between law enforcement and individuals in crisis through a 40 hour training centered on behavioral health education and de-escalation skills;
- Help individuals in crisis by connecting them with appropriate community resources in an effort to divert involvement with the criminal justice system;
- Improve the safety of the officer and individuals in crisis;
- Reduce stigma; and
- Expand CIT across the state.
For more information about Missouri CIT go to https://www.missouricit.org/ or contact Det. Jason Klaus at 573-768-6179 or e-mail JKlaus@mocoalition.org.