Omaha Police Department seeking to add another member to mental health co

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The Omaha Police Department is growing its efforts to help people they encounter who are dealing with mental health issues.

For years, OPD has assigned mental health crisis co-responders to work with trained police officers in the field. Now the department is seeking to add another member to the team.

Four years ago, mental health professional Shelly Poole answered a call with an Omaha police officer; a man was having a mental health issue, and Poole was able to de-escalate the situation.

“We want to decrease incarcerations, we want to decrease any escalation in the moment that could happen, that would cause them to have to be transported somewhere for a higher level of care,” Poole said.

At the time, Poole was one of four mental health co-responders working with O