ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies in Orange County are being better trained on how to handle crisis situations.
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The agency’s latest crisis intervention training class just graduated.
Now more than 1,200 employees have learned crucial skills for handling crisis scenarios.
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The crisis intervention training is being done to ensure employees are equipped with all of the tools they need to better serve the community.
“It doesn’t always have to be a mental illness issue or substance abuse issue. It can be a situation that’s just out of the norm,” said Sgt. Jason Gorberg with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
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Just this year, over 3,000 calls have been dispatched by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for a person in crisis. That’s more than 10 calls a day.
Because of the obvious need, the sheriff’s office is training hundreds of its employees in crisis intervention.
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During the 40-hour course, civilian employees and deputies role-play real-life scenarios the agency has actually dealt with.
Officials said their goal is to have all employees trained in crisis intervention and they have classes planned monthly for the rest of the year.
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