Changes to reduce officer wait time start soon

By BETH WHEELOCK ( Contact ) Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008

Podcast Episode

WCLO's Beth Wheelock reports on the changes to help deal with emergency detentions.

Rock County officials are making progress in their effort to reduce the amount of time officers sit in hospital waiting rooms for medical clearance for a suspect who's being involuntarily committed.

County Criminal Justice Planner/Analyst Elizabeth Pohlman McQuillen says the Human Services Department's crisis intervention unit will see the first changes in September. The crisis unit will be more mobile, go through training and discuss roles and responsibilities in order to work together more effectively. Pohlman McQuillen says hospital wait time for officers is a statewide and nationwide problem...but Rock County agencies are working together to correct it. She is meeting with those agencies this week for updates.

Scroll down for an audio feature on this story.

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