Mental health crises are among the most complex and emotionally charged situations law enforcement officers face. In the United States, police are often the first responders to individuals in psychological distress, yet the training and resources available to address these situations remain limited. The HBO documentary Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops offers a compelling and humane alternative model—demonstrating how trained mental health officers can de-escalate volatile situations, connect individuals to care, and prevent unnecessary arrests or violence. This film follows the work of two San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) mental health unit officers, Ernie Stevens and Joe Smarro, as they navigate crisis calls with empathy, skillful communication, and a commitment to redirecting people toward treatment rather than incarceration. Drawing from the film and its broader impact, this article explores how law enforcement and mental health professionals can collaborate to create a more effective, compassionate, and trauma-informed system of care for individuals in crisis.
Crisis Response in the United States: A Growing Need
Mental health emergencies present a significant challenge for law enforcement in the United States. According to contextual sources, research indicates that one in four people shot by a police officer has a serious mental illness. Additionally, 25% of jail inmates and 15% of state prison inmates experience mental health issues. This pattern of mass incarceration of individuals with untreated mental illness has prompted calls for systemic reform. Historically, the default response to persons in crisis has been arrest and detention, often without adequate consideration for mental health support. As one official from Bexar County’s mental health division notes, “Before 2000, our default position for mentally ill folks was jail, jail, jail.” This practice not only fails to address the root causes of the crisis but also contributes to the criminalization of mental illness, increasing trauma and stigma for affected individuals and their families.
The Role of Mental Health Units in Law Enforcement
The SAPD mental health unit, where Ernie Stevens and Joe Smarro work, was created in 2008 in response to police shootings involving individuals with mental illness. Unlike traditional policing models, this specialized team is composed of officers trained in crisis intervention and de-escalation. Their approach is grounded in empathy, active listening, and a focus on connecting individuals with appropriate treatment services rather than arresting them. Rather than treating calls for help as potential threats, these officers treat them as opportunities for support.
One of the film’s most poignant scenes illustrates this approach. In their encounters with people in crisis, Ernie and Joe consistently get down to the person’s eye level, using a calm and attentive demeanor. They do not rely on force or authority but instead build a rapport with those they assist. This strategy has proven to be particularly effective in preventing violent confrontations and ensuring that individuals receive the care they need. According to one officer quoted in contextual materials, “Having an officer trained in de-escalation techniques, knowing what resources are available, and knowing the ins and outs of getting folks in need connected to those resources and then following up to ensure they are getting what they need is key in helping the mentally ill.”
Training and Educational Initiatives
Crisis intervention training within law enforcement has traditionally been minimal. In the U.S., new recruits spend approximately 58 hours learning about firearms and only 8 hours on crisis intervention strategies. This disparity highlights a critical gap in police preparedness to deal with mental health emergencies. In contrast to academy training, the SAPD mental health unit’s officers work closely with social workers, mental health professionals, and treatment centers to develop and maintain best practices for crisis response.
The film has also been adopted as an educational tool by police academies, universities, and public safety institutions. The Stillwater Police Department, for example, created its first-ever Crisis Intervention Team inspired by the film. Over 200 educational institutions have purchased the documentary for use in training programs, emphasizing the growing interest in improving crisis response. A 25-minute training version of the documentary is also available for law enforcement departments seeking to integrate crisis intervention training into their regular curriculum.
Impact on Policy and Practice
The model presented in Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops has influenced policy in several jurisdictions. The film has been screened at police departments across the U.S., leading to shifts in how crisis calls are handled. The International Association of Chiefs of Police has recognized the value of the film, granting the host organization a One Mind Pledge campaign credential for demonstrating improvements in crisis response and officer wellness.
Beyond training individual officers, law enforcement departments are also revising outdated policies to reflect more modern and compassionate approaches to mental health. For instance, many jurisdictions are adopting community-based crisis response models—where trained mental health professionals respond to calls alongside or in place of police. These initiatives not only reduce harm but also improve public trust in law enforcement by showing that officers can be advocates for mental health rather than just enforcers of the law.
The Human Element in Crisis Response
A core strength of the SAPD mental health unit’s work is the personal investment its officers show in helping those in need. Joe Smarro, one of the officers, has experienced mental illness himself after service in the Iraq War and now uses his lived experience to connect with others going through similar struggles. His ability to understand the emotional and psychological burden of a crisis situation is evident in his interactions. He consistently demonstrates patience, respect, and resilience—qualities that help de-escalate even the most volatile situations.
Ernie Stevens, the more senior partner on the team, approaches each case with professionalism and strategic empathy. He uses active listening to understand the person’s concerns and works to identify solutions that align with the individual’s needs. As one segment of the film shows, instead of detaining someone threatening self-harm, Ernie helps the person reach a level of emotional safety by first acknowledging their distress and guiding them toward safe alternatives. This form of emotional regulation and trauma-informed care is often missing from traditional policing scenarios, where the risk of dehumanization is high.
Creating Safer Communities Through Compassionate Policing
Compassionate policing, as modeled by the mental health unit, contributes to building safer communities. One of the film’s key messages is that by redirecting individuals in crisis to treatment centers rather than jail, mental health outcomes improve, and rates of recidivism decrease. Mental health crisis units ensure that individuals receive the care they need while also reducing the burden on the corrections system. This strategy is particularly relevant in states where over 200,000 mental health patients are housed in prisons instead of treatment facilities.
The SAPD unit works closely with treatment centers to ensure that individuals get medical care and follow-up support after a crisis intervention. Their efforts demonstrate that with proper training, cooperation between law enforcement and mental health professionals, and community support, it is possible to create a system that values both individual dignity and public safety.
Expanding the Model to Other Jurisdictions
The success of the SAPD mental health unit has encouraged other communities to adopt similar approaches. The Ernie & Joe outreach campaign has provided law enforcement agencies, mental health advocates, and social workers with a roadmap for establishing crisis response programs tailored to local needs. The film emphasizes the importance of cross-sector collaboration—where law enforcement works alongside medical professionals, mental health providers, and community organizations to provide a comprehensive, person-centered approach.
In some areas, this collaboration has led to the formation of co-response teams, where mental health professionals accompany police officers on calls. For example, the United States has seen the expansion of Mobile Crisis Response Teams, which are made up of psychiatric nurses, social workers, and community health workers who respond to mental health crises. These models not only improve outcomes for individuals in need but also reduce the risk of harmful police encounters and promote healing over punishment.
The Importance of Addressing Stigma and Raising Awareness
One of the most significant contributions of Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops is its role in challenging misconceptions about people with mental illness. The film humanizes individuals in crisis and shows the potential for positive outcomes when appropriate care is available. By featuring real-life interactions and honest discussions between officers and the people they assist, the documentary fosters greater empathy and understanding among viewers.
Mental health stigma is a powerful barrier to care, and the criminalization of mental illness only exacerbates this problem. The SAPD unit’s work demonstrates how shifting the perception of mental health crises from emergencies to opportunities for care can reduce stigma and promote acceptance. As one mental health professional highlighted in the film notes, “We need to stop seeing mental illness as a form of deviance and start seeing it as a health issue that requires understanding and compassion.”
The Role of Advocacy and Community Engagement
To move toward a more supportive and sustainable mental health crisis response system, advocacy and community engagement are essential. The film has been used as a catalyst for policy discussions and community awareness campaigns around mental health. Police departments, mental health organizations, and advocacy groups have begun collaborating more closely to create solutions that benefit both public safety and individual well-being.
In some cases, this collaboration has led to the development of specialized training programs for officers, mental health professionals, and first responders. These programs focus on de-escalation, trauma-informed care, cultural sensitivity, and crisis communication. The integration of these skills into law enforcement training has been a significant step toward developing a more human-centered approach to crisis response.
Conclusion
The partnership between police and mental health professionals, as portrayed in Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops, offers a promising model for reimagining how society addresses mental health crises. By prioritizing de-escalation, empathy, and clinical expertise, law enforcement can move beyond the outdated paradigm of treating mental illness as a legal or security issue. This approach not only improves outcomes for individuals in crisis but also contributes to safer communities by reducing the risk of violence, unnecessary arrests, and systemic harm.
As shown through the work of Ernie and Joe and the broader movements they represent, the transformation of crisis response requires commitment from multiple stakeholders—including law enforcement, mental health professionals, policymakers, and community advocates. By adopting a collaborative and compassionate approach, it is possible to create a system that supports mental health care for all individuals, regardless of the circumstances of their crisis.