Waco crisis center can help small town police departments handle individuals with psychological issues

Waco crisis center can help small town police departments handle individuals with psychological issues

Riesel Police Chief Danny Krumnow started off his workweek with a frustrating experience that kept his town without a local police presence for most of a day.

On Monday and early Tuesday, Krumnow and his officers spent 17 hours trying to get medical help for a local man who was suicidal. Most of that time was spent waiting in a local emergency room for the man to be assessed and then admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

Because Riesel has a small police department — Krumnow and three other officers — the city had to rely on the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office to handle calls for help during that time. Luckily, it was an uneventful day, Krumnow said, but he was irked that the department’s time was monopolized by a non-law enforcement matter.
Riesel Police Chief Danny Krumnow stands in front of his patrol car. On Monday, Krumnow spent hours waiting in a local emergency room to try to get help for a man who was suicidal. A new center in Waco should help law enforcement officials avoid most such waits. (Duane A. Laverty photo)

Similar scenarios play out about once a month, Krumnow said, leaving the city without the protection of its police department. The waits usually aren’t as long, he said, but officers generally have to be out of the city for at least four hours on each mental health call.

* A 5 percent decrease in the number of mentally ill people booked into local jails.

* An 18 percent decrease in the number of people admitted to Waco’s psychiatric hospital, the DePaul Center.

* A decrease of nearly 6 percent in the number of days local residents are in state mental hospitals.