An Update on an Important New Tulsa Police Department Program: The Community Response Team

On this edition of ST, we learn about the Tulsa Police Department's ongoing efforts to implement recommendations submitted earlier this year by the Tulsa Commission on Community Policing. In particular, we focus on the Department's implementation of a Community Response Team (or CRT) program; this is an initiative still in its "pilot" stage. As we learn today from our guest, Tulsa Police Deputy Chief Jonathan Brooks, the three-person CRT team includes an officer from the Police Department, a paramedic from the Tulsa Fire Department, and a mental health professional. As noted of this program at the City of Tulsa website: "The CRT monitors 911 calls in real-time, and if a mental health call is received, the team will drive to the location together and assist the on-scene police officer to possibly de-escalate a situation and/or relieve the police officer to take the next 911 call."