Study tests whether 40-Hour mental health training changes police behavior

This study looked at whether a 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training program helps police officers improve their verbal de-escalation skills and decision-making when responding to mental health crises. About 242 officers were randomly assigned to receive the training or not, and their skills were measured at 3 and 6 months using video ratings. The goal was to see if the training leads to better communication, empathy, and safer outcomes during real-world encounters.