April 2026 | The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine 43
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With CIT knowledge, the research revealed officers can now build rapport, reduce tensions, and create more favorable interactions with their community members.
Conclusion Leaders of law enforcement ask the question: Is CIT successful and effective? The results from Monmouth and Ocean Counties show that CIT is productive and yields consistent results. Officers experienced improvements in confidence, knowledge, and perceptions related to mental health crisis response. Officers leave CIT feeling better prepared to de-escalate situations, identify the differences between mental health conditions, and understand the perspectives of these individuals. CIT’ s comprehensive approach makes it a valuable tool for agencies seeking to improve their officer’ s responses to mental health crises. The research indicates that this type of training reduces harm for officers and community members. Furthermore, research has given us the resources to show that agencies who prioritize CIT will be better served to support community members with mental health challenges.
Please feel free to contact Professor Douglas S. Collier, M. A., DEA,( Ret.), if you’ d like the complete research findings.