I learned about ERS at the very beginning of my career over 16 years ago as a new recruit officer. I have had multiple interactions with ERS as a patrol officer, supervisor and as a detective.
ERS is an integral part of the police department's response to subjects with mental illness. We rely on their expertise and judgment on virtually a daily basis. They have helped us provide service to individuals in need of assistance on far too many occasions to count. The crisis counselors are highly professional, helpful and knowledgeable on mental health issues and of police policy and procedure.
After 16 years of working with ERS, it is difficult to pick out examples of their service especially where they have been there assisting the police on so many occasions. I recall many times when they responded to suicidal calls and talked people into getting the help they needed. I recall them responding to assist us when we made contact with a mentally ill person who had not committed a crime but was in obvious need of help. I watched ERS make calls and find those individuals the help they needed. They have shown compassion and used their knowledge to benefit countless people in the Peoria area and our officers find them of great value.
ERS provides the Peoria area with a unique level of service for individuals in need of mental health assistance that other communities simply are not as fortunate to have as Peoria. As the police, we are able to immediately contact ERS when we have a subject with mental health issues and have them respond on scene 24 hours a day. The community benefits from the experience of trained professionals, some with over 30 years of experience, in how to best deal with mental health issues. We know that these individuals will receive the very best care possible because ERS has intervened. ERS should be considered a model program and the individuals who put the program into place nearly 30 years ago should be commended for the legacy of fine service they orchestrated for Peoria.
