0640.45 Crisis Response Team

0640.45, Crisis Response Team

Definitions:
•    Crisis Response Team (CRT): A team of sworn members who serve as liaisons between the community and the Bureau to provide crisis intervention, emotional support, and resources to community members impacted by crime, violence, suicide, or death, with a Trauma-Informed Approach.

•    Trauma Intervention Program Northwest (TIPNW) Volunteers: Trained crisis responders available 24/7/365 to provide immediate emotional support at the request of emergency personnel.

•    Trauma-Informed Approach: A program, organization, or system that realizes the wide-spread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in people, families, groups, and others involved with the system; and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, and seeks to actively resist re traumatization.

Policy: 
1.    This directive establishes the Bureau's Crisis Response Team (CRT) and provides guidance for Bureau members to identify how, when, and why CRT may respond to assist the community and the Bureau, and it discusses CRT Member and Coordinator responsibilities.  

2.    The Bureau recognizes that police-involved incidents potentially include crime victims, their families, and communities who may be experiencing crisis. CRT aims to increase safety and build community trust – both reactively at the scene of police calls for service and proactively through community engagement – by offering special liaison members to interact with impacted community members and provide resources beyond the typical patrol response and capacity.

3.    CRT services include but are not limited to funeral support, presence at private or community events, and referrals to and partnership with entities such as Portland Ceasefire, the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP), Trauma Intervention Program Northwest (TIPNW), and other community-based organizations.

Procedure:
1.    Mandatory CRT Notifications. 
1.1.    The on-scene sergeant shall notify CRT as soon as practical for the following incidents:
1.1.1.    Homicides;
1.1.2.    Fatal traffic crashes;
1.1.3.    In-custody deaths;
1.1.4.    Deadly force;
1.1.5.    Serious physical injury resulting from police action;
1.1.6.    Shootings involving youth and/or gun violence, or related assaults requiring participants to be transported to a medical facility; and
1.1.7.    Felony bias crimes.

2.    Discretionary CRT Notifications.
2.1.    Members may notify CRT and request a response for:
2.1.1.    Public order events;
2.1.2.    Deaths; 
2.1.3.    Any request made by a supervisor or a community member; and 
2.1.4.    Any other circumstances that cause the member to believe that CRT assistance would benefit the victim or community.

3.    Requesting Member Responsibilities.
3.1.    Members shall:
3.1.1.    Notify CRT for consultation via Bureau of Emergency Communications (BOEC). 
3.1.2.    Be available to discuss the circumstances of the incident with the CRT Coordinator.

4.    CRT Member Responsibilities.
4.1.    When a CRT member responds to a CRT call out, they respond in their role as a CRT member, and not for criminal investigation purposes.

4.2.    CRT members shall request a TIPNW Volunteer response upon community member request.

4.3.    CRT members may request a TIPNW Volunteer response for any incident in which they believe a TIPNW Volunteer response would benefit the victim or community.

5.    CRT Coordinator Responsibilities.
5.1.    When notified of a CRT call out request, the CRT Coordinator shall:
5.1.1.    Consult with the requesting member to determine the nature of the incident, the location, and the number of individuals involved. 
5.1.2.    Decide the appropriate level of CRT response and initiate a call out when appropriate.  
5.1.3.    Coordinate with, and provide updates to, the on-scene sergeant or designee.

5.2.    The CRT Coordinator is responsible for managing CRT resources and assigning members to respond, if needed, based on availability.

5.3.    The CRT Coordinator is responsible for coordinating with TIPNW to provide CRT members with training that uses a Trauma-Informed Approach.

5.4.    The CRT Coordinator may authorize a CRT response to assist outside agencies. If a CRT member responds to assist an outside agency for CRT purposes, the CRT Coordinator shall notify their supervisor.

Effective:               09/02/2026
Next Review:        09/02/2031