Crisis Intervention Unit

The Aurora Police Department strives to enhance the quality of life for those with special needs or mental illness, and their families, and to reduce the use or need for force necessary to protect these citizens. The Crisis Intervention Team officers work to guide these citizens and their families to a safe and favorable outcome. The Aurora Police Department also works with the community, the courts, and local service partners to help these citizens.

The Aurora Police Department has a number of officers specially training to assist and serve those with special needs or who are dealing with a crisis of some sort. These officers are referred to as Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officers.

In 2020, the Aurora Police Department expanded our CIT program with the APD’s Crisis Intervention Unit. CIU is a response to a growing need for crisis intervention services for individuals presenting in a mental health crisis that places them at risk to themselves or others. CIU aims to identify individuals that would be better served by receiving mental health services in lieu of jail or arrest.

CIU is a collaborative effort between the Aurora Police Department and Family Service Association of the Greater Elgin Area, and the Aurora University to bring together mental health professionals and law enforcement to provide on-site co-response to an individual in crisis and post crisis case management services for individuals and families.

CIU supports approximately 35 Crisis Intervention Team Officers currently assigned to the Patrol Division who are primary first responders to crisis when appropriate and available.

The CIU program staff consists of three police investigators, a police social work coordinator, and two police social workers. CIU will provide and coordinate services internally and with community based partners.

Co-Response Services

The CIU Program provides the resources of trained mental health professionals to respond with any officer requesting this type of support for an individual in the community. The CIU program will provide the following services during a co-response:

• Assessment (as done in an emergency room)
• Intervention
• Stabilization
• Link to community resources

Prior to, or at the time of the crisis, CIU staff may:

• Gather information about the presenting problem and attempts to resolve the problem in the past.
• Complete Crisis Mental Health Assessment to determine appropriate level of care.
• Link client to outpatient therapy services, psychiatry, partial hospitalization or inpatient hospitalization based on treatment and safety needs.
• Provide a plan for stabilization that will include safety plan and brief interventions that address the behavior safely and recommendations for services or resources.

Post-Crisis Case Management

• Provide linkage to community resources that will best help stabilize the individual in the community.
• Coordinate care with other community providers to ensure successful linkage of services.

The CIU program aims to reduce the recidivism of police contacts for those involved, decrease youth referrals to the Juvenile Justice System, decrease the response of transports to the Youth Home (Juvenile Detention Center) and successfully link all individuals to appropriate levels of care and services.

If you are currently dealing with an emergency crisis of any kind, please call 9-1-1 and the Aurora Police Department will respond.

See additional information about services for those with special needs at our Special Needs Aurora Police Program (SNAPP) page.