SPD speaks on mental health calls

During an appearance on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse, Sheridan Police Department Chief Travis Koltiska and Captain Tom Ringley spoke on mental health calls received by the SPD. 

Each of the SPD’s officers receives Critical Incident Training (CIT). This training prepares officers to respond to an array of calls that involve residents in a mental health crisis. The SPD Captain said mental health calls can involve many variables and is seen by the department as a medical issue. 

Capt. T. Ringley

Although the SPD views these calls as a medical issue, no other agency in Sheridan County or the City of Sheridan exists that can respond to these types of incidents, meaning the response falls to local law enforcement, Ringley said. The Captain also specified that should an agency exist, law enforcement would still back them up in any mental health crisis situation. 

Each person and situation varies. No mental health call is the same. But to track severity, the SPD has made efforts to classify these types of calls into categories. 

Capt. T. Ringley

In 2023, the SPD answered 662 total calls involving these types of incidents with 474 welfare checks performed, 79 incidents involving an individual with a mental health issue, 93 helping a suicidal subject and 16 calls involving an individual who had made a suicidal attempt. 

According to the Wyoming Department of Health, suicide remains a prevalent issue in Wyoming, resulting in preventable deaths that deeply impact individuals, families, and communities across the state. In comparison to the national rate of 14 per 100,000, the Wyoming suicide rate of 31.1 per 100,000 consistently surpasses the average.