The Sugar Land Police Department has been awarded two key grants aimed at enhancing mental health services for both the community and department staff. At a City Council meeting on January 7, 2024, the city approved the acceptance of these grants, which will support critical crisis intervention efforts.
Crisis Intervention Grant and Specialty Vehicles
The larger of the two grants is a $171,920 Crisis Intervention Grant from the Office of the Governor. This funding will be used to acquire two specialty, unmarked vehicles for the department’s Crisis Intervention Team (CIT). These vehicles are intended to help officers respond more effectively to individuals experiencing mental health crises, particularly by reducing the anxiety of citizens who might be wary of uniformed officers.
Pedro Lara, Assistant Chief of the Sugar Land Police Department, emphasized the importance of the unmarked vehicles in improving interactions between officers and people in crisis. “Unmarked vehicles are a vital tool for law enforcement in handling mental health crises, ensuring compliance with the law, reducing stigma, and enhancing safety and dignity for all involved,” he explained.
The vehicles will be ordered in the first quarter of 2025, although the exact delivery timeline remains uncertain.
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for Wellness Software
In addition to the crisis intervention vehicles, the department received a $14,600 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. This grant will fund the implementation of PowerLine, a wellness software program for the officers of Sugar Land Police Department. The software is designed to provide anonymous support, facilitate peer connections, and assess the wellness needs of department personnel. The department plans to begin implementing PowerLine internally in early 2025.
These initiatives reflect the city’s ongoing commitment to addressing mental health challenges both within the community and among first responders. As mental health, drug overdose, and wellness-related calls have increased between 2022 and 2024, these grants aim to bolster the department’s capacity to manage and respond to these challenges effectively.
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