Beyond CIT
A CORE element of CIT is to recognize and award the Departments that exemplify what CIT means. Accordingly, the Metro Boston CIT TTAC regularly recognizes Police Departments and Behavioral Health agencies across the state for their commitment to strengthening partnerships, developing policy and procedure and improving communication across systems. Explore this page to find out which programs are going beyond CIT!
BEYOND CIT 2024
Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 CIT Nobility Awards! This year's theme Integrity, Virtue & Nobility: Creating a Positive Culture recognizing CIT Officers for their efforts to model positive police culture and implement the principles of CIT both within their department as well as in the communities they serve. This years winners are: Captain Christopher DeCarlo (Lynnfield Police Department), Lt. Sarko Gergerian (Winthrop Police Department), Lt. David Ostrovitz (Marblehead Police Department), Sgt. Gilbert Priddy (Salem Police Department), Trooper Matthew Cunha (State Police), Officer Monicka Jean-Baptiste (Acton Police Department), Thomas Brown from the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, and Somerville Police Department’s Sgt. Daniel Rego, Detective Jason Costa, Detective Fernando Cicerone, Matthew Vieira and Mark Mitchell!
Beyond CIT 2023
Beyond CIT: CIT Realized
Metro Boston CIT-TTAC team featured here. From left to right: Jennifer Korn, Sabrina Ozit, Patty Contente, & Cheryl Delafano
On Wednesday May 24, 2023, the Metro Boston Crisis Intervention Team Training and Technical Assistance Center (MB CIT-TTAC) hosted their third annual Beyond CIT event at the Boston Marriot in Burlington. This year we highlighted the exceptional CIT Programs, CIT Officers, CIT Coordinators, and Behavioral Health Programs in the Metro Boston area whose dedication to the principles of CIT have assisted individuals impacted by mental illness and substance use disorder in the community.
Members of the Metro Boston CIT Training Team featured here with keynote speakers.
From left to right: Patty Contente, Officer Chuck DiChiara, Sgt. Mark Higginbottom, Liane McCarthy & Jennifer Korn
We were honored to have Liane McCarthy, retired FBI Special Agent with over 20 years of experience in Crisis Negotiation, open the evening celebrations with a focus on the value of interdisciplinary teams to create a cohesive integrated response that utilizes knowledge and intelligence to inform approach. Our second keynote for the evening was Officer Charles "Chuck" DiChiara, Training Coordinator for the Waltham Police Department and the Statewide Coordinator for Defensive Tactics and Use of Force for the Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) Officer DiChiara continued the conversation presenting on the evolution of de-escalation tools, and the use of force model. Officer DiChiara spoke to the importance of critical thinking as no two situations are exactly the same. Sharing experiences from his 33+ year career, Officer DiChiara provided examples to reinforce training concepts through the use of scenarios to apply analysis and identify options and decision making related to use of force.
The night ended with CIT Excellence Awards that recognized officers, behavioral health partners and a Department that is moving from training to implementation. Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 CIT Excellence Awards: Officer Sheryl Rotondi (Stoneham Police Department), Revere Police Department’s Behavioral Health Unit, CIT presenter Nicole Tebeau from Vinfen, Somerville Police Department's Officer Roger Desrochers, Lieutenant Michael Capasso, Lieutenant Carmine Vivolo, and Metro Boston Co-Director Jenn Korn!
Thank You to all of our Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health Partners for their continued commitment to community members impacted by Behavioral Health!
Beyond CIT 2022
Beyond CIT: Synergy
Metro Boston CIT-TTAC team featured here with Ernest Stevens, former Officer with the San Antonio Police Department and star of the Emmy winning HBO Documentary “Ernie & Joe Crisis Cops”.
From left to right: Cheryl Delafano, Patty Contente, Ernest Stevens, Jennifer Korn & Sabrina Ozit
On Thursday May 5, 2022, the Metro Boston CIT TTAC (MB CIT-TTAC) hosted their second annual Beyond CIT event at the Boston Marriot in Peabody. This year’s theme was “Synergy” and celebrated the essential collaborations between public health agencies and law enforcement in order to best serve the complex needs of our communities. The evening began with a premiere of the documentary, “The COHR Solution: A Community Response to a Fragmented System”, which highlights how CIT has been implemented in Somerville through the Community Outreach, Help & Recovery Unit (COHR). The Keynote for the evening, Ernest Stevens, a former police officer with the San Antonio Police Department and star of the Emmy winning HBO documentary “Ernie & Joe Crisis Cops”, talked about the incredible work he is dong with the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council as the Crisis Response and Resiliency Manager. Ernie talked about different ways to coordinate and communicate across systems in order to provide care for the most vulnerable of our community members.
The night ended with Synergy Awards, highlighting several individuals and departmental exceptional efforts to partner and collaborate. Congratulations to Lt. John Barbieri (Haverhill Police Department), Lt. Dave Stefanelli (Stoneham Police Department), Tito Rodriguez (Gloucester Police Department), and Officers Mark McLaughlin, Priscilla Ribeiro, Christopher Fusco, Courtney Reece, and COHR staff Cheryl Delafano (Somerville Police Department) who were all recognized for their commitment to community members impacted by behavioral health!