Troy Siewert

My personal mission is to educate and train as many law enforcement officers as possible to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness and to more effectively respond when an individual is in crisis.

While I believe it is the community’s responsibility to collaboratively support individuals living with mental illness and ensure they get the help they need, an informed crisis response by officers can have immense positive impact for everyone involved, including the officer.

During my 30-year career in law enforcement, I responded to well over a thousand mental health crisis calls and have seen, first-hand, how an insightful and empathic response by officers can literally change the trajectory of an individual’s life. This has inspired my mission and continues to drive me.

Prior to retiring from the Orland Park Police Department (OPPD) as a lieutenant in 2022 some of my accomplishments were:

  • Certified CIT officer

  • Certified CIT coordinator

  • Crisis negotiator

  • Create and develop the Department’s CIT program to national recognition

  • Implement and oversee the Mobile Crisis Response Unit (MCRU)

  • Lead effort to become the first agency, internationally, to complete all requirements of International Assoc. of Chiefs of Police (IACP) One Mind Campaign (2016)

Some other relevant accomplishments include:

I am an active member of ILEETA, CIT International, and the International Public Safety Assoc. (IPSA).

Outside my professional roles, I continue to serve on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, South Suburbs (Illinois) and I teach Mental Health First Aid to community members so that they also are able to more effectively support someone experiencing a mental health crisis.

  • Master’s Degree in Criminal Social Justice from Lewis University

  • ILETSB-certified law enforcement instructor

  • IADLEST national certified instructor

  • Certified Crisis Intervention Specialist

  • Certified Anger Management Specialist

  • Force Science Realistic De-Escalation Instructor

  • Collaborated with a committee of subject matter experts, from throughout the United States, to edit and rewrite the IACP model policy, and Concepts & Issues paper, entitled: “Responding to Persons Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis” (2018)

  • Received CIT International’s 2021 CIT Coordinator of the Year

  • Teach LEOs mental health awareness & crisis response, and CIT, since 2017

Watch my free micro-course:

Mental Health Crisis:

4 Mistake to Avoid

for Better Outcomes

This short starter course will help you get started on your path to effective mental health crisis response.

Copyright Insightfulcrisisresponse.com. All rights reserved