The Dunwoody Police Department has completed a program intended to improve officers’ interactions with people who have mental illnesses.

According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, some departments report that as many as 20% of calls for service involve a mental health event or someone with mental illness. As a result, the association launched the One Mind Campaign,  which requires agencies to implement numerous changes over a one- to three-year period.

Dunwoody is a city located in northern DeKalb County.

Its police department fulfilled its One Mind pledge by entering into a partnership with a local mental health organization, creating new policies guiding officers' interactions with people affected by mental illness and implementing additional training.

Over 50 percent of the staff have completed a 40-hour Crisis Intervention course.

Beyond the One Mind Campaign, the police department has begun offering a Mental Health First Aid program. The eight-hour course teaches students how to provide support and resources to a peer who may be developing mental health issues or a substance abuse problem.

About the Author

Keep Reading

An aerial image shows part of John A. White Park taken on Wednesday, July 4, 2025, where the City of Atlanta plans to build new trails as part of the citywide Trails ATL plan. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

Scott Jackson (right), business service consultant for WorkSource Fulton, helps job seekers with their applications in a mobile career center at a job fair hosted by Goodwill Career Center in Atlanta. (Ziyu Julian Zhu/AJC)

Credit: Ziyu Julian Zhu/AJC