Talking him down off the bridge: 35th CIT graduating class roleplays tense scenes

MANSFIELD — Two officers approach a tense scene: a man whose business has gone under now stands on the edge of a bridge, ready to jump.

It’s not real — but for the 35th Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) graduating class, it was a powerful training scenario Friday designed to prepare officers for moments that could mean the difference between life and death.

In the exercise, a group of volunteers acts as bystanders, one even escalates the situation by shouting aggressive comments. The officers call in for backup, as they would in a real-life situation.

That was just one of many scenarios that took place at the Mansfield Playhouse, located at 95 East Third St.

Mansfield Playhouse partners to support CIT training

For Doug Wertz, artistic director and board president of the Mansfield Playhouse, the bridge scenario never fails to move him.

“I tend to get choked up about this,” Wertz said. “I hear success stories — they’ve actually saved a bridge jumper.”

He emphasized the importance of the work, especially as awareness of mental health challenges continues to grow.

“There are a lot of mental health issues out there,” Wertz said. “I think there always have been — now we’re just more aware of it.”

According to Wertz, The Mansfield Playhouse has partnered with the CIT event since its beginning, using actors from the community theater to role-play actual past scenarios with first responders, including hospital security and staff members.

Wertz said the collaboration began when Gordon Wendling, an ex-board member who was also a Mansfield police detective, was asked to help create realistic role-playing situations for officer training.

The Mansfield Playhouse now hosts the exercises that originally took place at the Richland County Fairgrounds.

“We find volunteers who see the value in this, and we’ve been doing it ever since,” Wertz said.

By lending their acting skills to these exercises, Wertz said Playhouse actors help officers better prepare for the complex, emotionally charged situations they may face in the field.

“It’s out there, and they’re working it,” he said. “This is making a big difference in how responders handle these situations — with a much more open mind.”

Since 2004, Richland County has trained more than 722 law enforcement officers and other first responders.

Organizations unite to support crisis intervention efforts

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Richland County and the Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board partner with local agencies and law enforcement departments to produce Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training.

The training consists of a 40-hour curriculum focusing on scenarios based on actual events.

Aubrie Hall, executive director of NAMI Richland County, said not all first responders — particularly those in fire and EMS — can commit to the weeklong training sessions.

“We’ve created a CIT awareness training, which is a one-day program for those who can’t take the full week,” Hall said.

The condensed training covers essential topics, including understanding mental illness, the role of medication, de-escalation techniques and connecting individuals with local therapy and treatment resources.

“We don’t want people to go through the judicial system,” Hall said. “We want them to be able to live healthy, productive lives.”

Hall said every scenario used in the training is based on actual reports from the Mansfield Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.

Partnering with them to receive their mental illness and suicide attempt reports, she said they are able to give out a packet and letter to those individuals offering resources they may need.

“While NAMI Richland County keeps it to a one week 40-hour course for the first responders, the Mansfield Police Department has a simulator, where they continue to do training like this annually,” Hall said.

Training focuses on safety, rapport and humanity

Mansfield police Sgt. Nicole Gearhart said she teaches the de-escalation portion of the training before the scenarios begin.

“My role is to watch the scenarios and give officers safety advice,” she said.

Gearhart emphasized establishing rapport and showing humanity to subjects experiencing difficult moments is one of the most important aspects of the training.

The program is mandatory for officers in the MPD. Gearhart said it has been especially helpful for younger officers who have never faced these situations, giving them the confidence to respond effectively even when unsure.

(Photos from the 35th CIT graduating class role play event. Credit: Hannah Martin)