Near the close of a weeklong 40-hour class on mental illness, law enforcement officials from dispatchers to patrol officers reflected on how the lessons they learned reflected their personal experience.

Some talked about how the training in handling people suffering from dementia — an intensive hands-on course where officers had their senses distorted to simulate symptoms of the disease — helped them better understand the inability to handle common tasks.

Others spoke about how the training emphasized the difficulties they have in handling family members with mental illness.

Led by the county Mental Health Agency’s crisis response team, the class is designed to help police understand the intricacies of mental illness and how to better defuse tense encounters.

Crisis response team director Jen Corbin said the course focuses on hands-on education.

“We’re not teaching. We’re kind of facilitating,” Corbin said. “The 40-hour course is not about us standing up and lecturing.”

The students experienced the difficulties of troubled people they might encounter, See POLICE, page 4