25-046 Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Notification Process

Purpose 
This Department Notice provides clear and concise guidance to all members of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) regarding notification procedures for the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Unit. The CIT Unit is a critical resource for officers responding to incidents involving individuals experiencing mental health disorders, psychological distress, emotional crises, or other behavioral challenges. In alignment with the Department’s commitment to delivering the highest standard of service, the CIT Unit prioritizes support for individuals diagnosed with mental illnesses, disabilities, or those facing challenges related to substance abuse or behavioral crises. 

Immediate Notifications to the CIT Coordinator: 
Officers are strongly encouraged to provide immediate notification to the CIT Coordinator under the following circumstances: 

• Hostage or Crisis Negotiation Support: When the Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team (H/CNT) is activated and needs psychological information to assist in achieving a peaceful resolution.
• Disengagement Consultation: When a decision is made to disengage from an incident involving mental health concerns, consult with the CIT Coordinator if appropriate.
• Hospital Refusal or Processing Delays: When a hospital refuses to accept an individual placed on a 5150 W&I Hold or fails to process the individual within a reasonable timeframe, requiring alternative resource coordination. 

For immediate notifications, contact the CIT Coordinator through the DOC.

Notification for Disengagement Incidents 
To ensure proper follow-up on disengagement incidents, members must provide written or verbal notification whenever officers disengage from a call involving a mental health crisis. Notifications may be submitted using one of the following methods: 

Email Submission: 

• Address: redacted
• Subject Line: “Disengagement Incident”
• Content: Include the case and CAD numbers 

Phone Notification: 

• Contact the CIT Coordinator via the Department Operations Center (DOC). 

Utilizing CIT Liaison Officers
Members are strongly encouraged to consult their designated CIT Liaison Officers as the primary point of contact for guidance on non-urgent matters.

Non-urgent CIT Unit Notification
The CIT Unit should be notified in the following circumstances:

• If a CIT Liaison Officer is unavailable for guidance.
• When a CIT Liaison Officer determines that the situation exceeds the capacity of standard patrol resources.
• Members should email the case and CAD number, with a brief explanation as to the concerning behavior of the subject to redacted

/s/
WILLIAM SCOTT 
Chief of Police

Per DN 23-152, all sworn & non-sworn members shall electronically acknowledge this Department document in PowerDMS within (30) thirty calendar days of issuance. Members whose duties are relevant to this document shall be held responsible for compliance. Any questions regarding this policy should be sent to [email protected] who will provide additional information.