Every three months, law enforcement officers from all agencies participate in Crisis Intervention Training through the Alachua County Crisis Center. It helps them distinguish people who are in crisis vs those committing criminal activities. The GOC has been part of this important training for over ten years. Officers and deputies come here and talk to our Members when they are not in crisis about their interactions with police, and what actions have really helped. As you can see, our law enforcement community cares. At the GOC, we are proud to provide community support to everyone, including our law enforcement community. City of Gainesville, FL – Government Gainesville Police Department Alachua County Alachua County Sheriff University of Florida Public Safety

Officers got a tour of the GOC including our new kitchen and dining room, paid for by Rotary. We had two separate small groups of officers who participated in a round table discussion for about an hour. The crowd took this very seriously, and they were interested and engaged. Marie and other Members shared their personal stories with mental illness and their encounters with law enforcement. Marie shared that that once she was offered a hug while she was in crisis. It changed her whole demeanor. A hug is always nicer than being tazed. Thank you to everyone involved.