NORFOLK, Va. — Deputies with the Norfolk Sheriff's Office are undergoing a week-long, 40-hour class called "Crisis Intervention Training."
The class is meant to help deputies spot an inmate in crisis before it’s too late. The one-week class is designed to help better understand what inmates are going through and to prevent more tragedies inside their cells.
Previously, deputies went through the training alongside Norfolk Police officers. For the first time, deputies will have their own instructor to focus on jail-specific scenarios. The class is run by Norfolk Community Service’s Board and leaders with the Sheriff’s Office
“If we are educated on the signs and the signals of these things, we can get them to the help they need faster,” explained instructor Gregory Gill.
According to jail officials, 30 percent of inmates are receiving mental health treatment. Sheriff Joe Baron said one goal for the class is to teach deputies better communication skills.
“A lot of times it’s just about talking to somebody and recognizing and thinking, 'Hey, this is a human being going through some kind of issue and let’s talk through it and maybe we can mentally help them through that issue,'” he explained.
Sheriff Baron said he hopes this training prevents suicides or other mental health issues inside the Norfolk City Jail.
Officials plan to train 80 deputies over the next three months. The overall goal is to have every deputy trained by the end of next year.