Norwalk Police add mental health clinician to support officers

Norwalk Police add mental health clinician to support officers

The Norwalk Police Department has hired a clinician to be embedded in the department and to work in tandem with officers on cases that may benefit from additional support.

According to the department’s statement, clinician, Alexandra Fitzner, “will work to expand community policing initiatives by creating a holistic approach to life-saving supports and resources for all members of the Norwalk community, with an emphasis on helping vulnerable populations.

The position is being funded by $216,000 allocated from federal funds from the US Bailout Act, according to city documents. The city hired the new clinician in part because of the success Stamford Police have had working with the Recovery Network of Programs since incorporating a social worker if its own last year.

“In our very first year of operation, we served 300 unduplicated people, 800 care interventions/connections, and with a 20% reduction in repeat offender type calls to the police department,” Jennifer Kolakowski said Thursday, network executive director. . She added that the numbers were “very, very significant”.

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