Georgetown police launch mental health crisis team

GEORGETOWN, Texas - The number of mental health 911 calls is so large in Georgetown that the police department created a new team to address it.

They are calling it the Crisis Intervention Team.

"Their primary goal is to handle all the mental health calls that we get, in addition to helping out with some of the unhoused or homeless folks," said Roland Waits, the assistant chief of police in Georgetown.

Waits said calls regarding mental health are growing exponentially in Georgetown.

"Just trending, say over the last 3 to 5 years, our mental health calls have gone up significantly," said Waits.

Since 2019, calls for service have risen from 314 to 999.

The biggest jump happened in 2023, with almost 350 more calls than the year prior. Emergency detentions are skyrocketing, too.

Police said in 2022, it recorded 88 detentions, but that number almost doubled in 2023.

"Last year we had like 168," said Waits. "The amount of work and strain that that puts on the guys and gals on the street is tremendous."

The new crisis intervention team will focus just on the rising number of mental health calls so that police officers can focus on everything else.

"They will respond and work to figure out the best placement for what you've got going on," said Waits. "They're able to take more time, and they have better resources at their disposal."

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Right now, the team consists of three people with additional training in mental health.

Waits said they already have plans to expand with a goal of letting people know they're not alone.

"There are people here, there are team members here that are dedicated to their service, their well-being, and they shouldn't be afraid or have a challenge not calling us," said Waits. "We would much rather come out and spend time with you than not get the call, or get a different call"

The mental health problems aren’t just selective to Georgetown. The three team members sit on a county-wide board with Round Rock, Leander, and Cedar Park.

Also, the crisis intervention team strays away from traditional police officer uniforms. They'll come to a scene much more casual, like polo and khakis, and even drive unmarked vehicles.