The Downey Police Department has joined together with police departments in the southeast region of Los Angeles County to pair mental health clinicians with a police officer during their patrol duties. Working as a team, they will be an additional on-scene resource to situations involving people with mental illness.
In partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, two mental health clinicians will rotate throughout the month with each of the seven police departments participating in the program. In Downey, a clinician will ride along with a Downey Police Officer several days throughout the month assisting patrol officers as needed with any calls involving the mentally ill. By being deployed in the field with a Downey Police Officer, the clinicians will be able to provide immediate crisis intervention and case management to individuals in need of such services. The clinicians possess crisis evaluation and clinical treatment skills to help us better serve the public.
