OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – The Omaha Police Department is growing its efforts to help people they encounter who are dealing with mental health issues.
For years, OPD has assigned mental health crisis co-responders to work with trained police officers in the field. Now the department is seeking to add another member to the team.
Four years ago, mental health professional Shelly Poole answered a call with an Omaha police officer; a man was having a mental health issue, and Poole was able to de-escalate the situation.
“We want to decrease incarcerations, we want to decrease any escalation in the moment that could happen, that would cause them to have to be transported somewhere for a higher level of care,” Poole said.
At the time, Poole was one of four mental health co-responders working with Omaha police. Now she’s stood before the Omaha City Council asking council members to add another co-responder to the team.
“Each of our five precincts are assigned to a mental health co-responder currently working B shift or C shift, and then we have an additional co-responder assigned to work with it as well as in schools throughout our community on those threat assessments,” she said.
The new hire would bring the number of co-responders to seven. Some city council members would like that number to be higher.
“I would like to see us have more than seven. It would be great if we could have one for every shift for every precinct, and also have backup. That is the hope,” said Omaha City Councilmember Aimee Melton.
Poole said having a professional dealing with a mental health issue many times can prevent a trip to jail instead of getting the help that person needs.
“Currently, our Douglas County Correctional Center is the largest mental health facility in our state,” Melton said.
Some members of the city council agree on growing the number of mental health co-responders.
“The de-escalation piece that your team does is a great asset to the city that I’m glad to support,” said Omaha City Councilmember Danny Begley
“I am thankful for philanthropy for getting this started for us and for the behavioral health foundation in particular for continuing their support,” said Omaha City Councilmember Pete Festersen. “I think it is very important that this becomes part of the city budget, it is something the city should be doing and sustain for a long period of time.”
The new mental health crisis co-responder position will be paid for by extending a grant for more than $168,000 from the Omaha Police Foundation.
That grant will expire at the end of 2027. The council will vote on the addition at the next council meeting.
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