PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Retired law enforcement leaders are calling for more crisis intervention teams to help decrease the number of times calls for help turn into shootings.

Crisis intervention teams, or CIT’s are typically secondary responders. Retired Phoenix Police Commander Dr. Jeff Hynes says, in a perfect world, he would want to see an officer always paired with a CIT member.

Mental health crises across the Valley this year led to six officer-involved shootings, five of which were deadly.

“CIT is invaluable, and unfortunately, with the defund the police movement over the last decade, it’s decimated agencies where they no longer have these units,” Hynes said.

Hynes has dedicated his life to education around mental illness and crisis intervention. He says the need for more CIT squa

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