LAFAYETTE, La. ( KLFY ) — The increase in mental health related police calls can easily impact the ability of law enforcement to deal with that, and fight crime.
The Lafayette Police Department responds to that concern and have allowed News 10 to ride in one of their new mental health units.
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The Lafayette Police Mental Health Unit C.A.R.E.S. has been on patrol since the end of January. Thus far, as a pilot program, the LPD has one unit manned by two trained individuals.
Corporal Katelynn Shautin is one of the LPD mental health response team members News 10 was able to speak to. Shautin is a former ambulance worker and has six years as a police officer.
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“I’ve dealt with many incidents like manic or someone having an episode and you have to talk to them calmly in a certain way. You have to control all your emotions because all you are going to do is hype them and you can’t,” said Shautin.