Courtesy of Patrick Halpern

Some of the honorees at the recent New River Valley Crisis Intervention Team awards banquet were (from left): Officer Danny Ratcliffe, Pearisburg Police Department; Lt. Christopher "Kit" Cummings, Blacksburg Police Department; Sgt. Jimmy McCroskey, Narrows Police Department; Lt. Dennis Lambert, Dublin Police Department; and Sgt. Sam Shumate, Radford University Police Department.

| Patrick Halpern

Executive director, Mental Heath Association of the New River Valley

On Nov. 19, the Mental Health Association of the New River Valley, in partnership with New River Valley Community Services, hosted the fifth annual New River Valley Crisis Intervention Team awards banquet at Radford University's West Campus.

In addition to providing an opportunity to honor those who have been instrumental to the success of the CIT program, the banquet was a celebration of a program that has changed the New River Valley in ways that seemed unimaginable seven years ago.

In their opening remarks, Patrick Halpern, executive director of the Mental Health Association, and Harvey Barker, executive director of New River Valley Community Services, reminded the audience that the New River Valley CIT program was the first CIT program in the state.

Retired police Lt. Michael Woody, president of CIT International, provided the evening's keynote address. A 25-year veteran of the Akron (Ohio) Police Department who retired in 2002, he has worked as an independent contractor serving as the Law Enforcement Liaison to Ohio's Coordinating Center of Excellence in Criminal Justice.

Awards were presented in the following categories:

n The Corporal Eric E. Sutphin CIT Officer of the Year Award, named in honor of a man who embodied the CIT mind-set in all aspects of his job.

Sutphin, who was killed in the line of duty in August 2006, graduated from the New River Valley's inaugural CIT training in September 2004 and carried out his responsibilities as a CIT officer with dedication and compassion.

The 2009 award was presented to Blacksburg Police Department Lt. Christopher "Kit" Cummings.

Cummings has been instrumental to the continued success of the New River Valley CIT program. As one of the lead law enforcement officers with the program, his ongoing involvement in trainings is crucial, particularly his facilitation of several core training units, his involvement in role play exercises and site visits and his insightful and considerate feedback to participants in the training.

n The CIT Intervention of the Year Award, which recognizes a CIT officer who has been involved in the most heroic intervention in the past 12 months, was awarded to Sgt. Jimmy McCroskey of the Narrows Police Department.

This past summer, McCroskey responded to a domestic dispute call at private residence. Upon arriving, McCroskey found a man in a wheelchair who had recently lost one of his legs to amputation.

The subject was visibly irate, holding a loaded assault rifle and indicated that he would shoot anyone who approached. McCroskey began talking to the man from behind his vehicle, and once additional officers arrived, McCroskey spoke to the man and began to approach the residence.

At that point, the man went inside his home. McCroskey then began talk to him through the door. Using the skills he learned in the CIT training, the officer was able to build a rapport with the subject and, after some time, he was able to approach the door and see him.

In doing so, McCroskey noticed several rounds of ammunition and weapons near the man. After more intense conversation, he was able to gain the man's trust and successfully de-escalate the situation, and the man was taken into custody without struggle and without any injuries.

n The CIT Bridge Builder Award was presented to Amy Forsyth-Stephens, former executive director of the Mental Health Association of the New River Valley and former project director for the New River Valley CIT program.

The Bridge Builder award recognizes a community stakeholder who has been especially instrumental in the success of the New River Valley CIT Program. In presenting the award, 2008 award winner Victoria Cochran noted that without Forsyth-Stephens, "the New River Valley would not have developed the far-reaching and effective partnerships across the criminal justice and mental health systems that we are afforded today."

Furthermore, Cochran said that "her energy, vision and tremendous fund development efforts are responsible for the more than $1.5 million the New River Valley received in federal funding to plan, develop and implement the region's jail diversion programs for persons with mental illness."

Forsyth-Stephens was out of town and did not attend the banquet.