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Hampden updates police 'duty to intervene' policy and adopts grant‑funded mental‑health clinician response
Summary
The Select Board approved two police policy updates: a 'duty to intervene' revision to mirror recent training council guidance, and a clinician‑in‑the‑field response funded by a CHD grant shared between Wilberham and Hampden, paid by grant and available five days a week.
Chief presented two policy updates to the board: an amendment to make the department's 'duty to intervene' language consistent with recent law enforcement guidance, and a new policy establishing a mental‑health clinician response funded by a CHD grant.
The clinician is funded through the grant and is shared between Wilberham (four days per week) and Hampden (one day per week), with availability five days a week for follow‑up and scene response. The clinician has a radio and a response vest and can accompany officers when needed. The chief said the clinician’s compensation is covered by the grant.
Board members asked for a brief 35‑word explanation for the public in the green sheet; the chief summarized the clinician’s role and reiterated that duties expand to some substance‑use connected calls when mental‑health concerns are related. The board moved and approved both the revised duty policy and the clinician policy.
Implementation: the clinician program is already funded through the CHD grant; the department will integrate the clinician into dispatch and response protocols and will report back to the board as the program is used.
