Sedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde ValleySedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde Valley
    Sedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde Valley Sedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde Valley
    • Home
    • Sedona News
    • Business Profiles
    • Opinion
    • Mind & Body
    • Arts
    • Elections
    • Gift Shop
    • Contact
    • Cart
    Sedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde ValleySedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde Valley
    Home » SPD officer wins crisis response award
    City of Sedona

    SPD officer wins crisis response award

    August 28, 2018No Comments
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Reddit WhatsApp
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Reddit WhatsApp

    City of Sedona ArizonaSedona AZ (August 28, 2018) – A 12-year veteran of the Sedona Police Department, Officer Kevin Hudspeth, is the recipient of a statewide award for outstanding service to people in mental health crisis.

    Hudspeth received the David’s Hope 2018 Crisis Response Officer of Distinction award at an Aug. 23 event in Tempe, Ariz. The award was presented by the Arizona Mental health Criminal Justice Coalition, and recognized Hudspeth’s work in planning, organizing and executing Sedona PD’s homeless/transient outreach operations over the past year.

    photo_kevinhudspeth“Officer Hudspeth is a thoughtful law enforcement officer and problem solver,” says Sedona Police Chief David McGill. “Starting about 18 months ago, he directed our officers to step up their attention on the homeless living in the forest surrounding Sedona, many of whom live with mental illness. His goal was to not only enforce the law but, more important, to redirect people to services that can help them in the long run.”

    SPD officers frequently make contact with people with mental illness, and conduct field operations each quarter to locate, identify, and assist the city’s homeless/transient population. One community challenge is a lack of available services within a reasonable distance, especially in times of crisis. Hudspeth took a leadership role in both conducting contact operations and serving as a liaison with health providers such as Spectrum Health, Catholic Charities, Sedona Fire District, and U.S. Forest Service, among others.

    In most SPD contact operations, officers contact between 10 and 20 individuals, most of whom have mental health challenges. Some are cited or arrested for repeat law violations, but most are given alternative, diversion, dispositions designed to get them immediate help in the field, and longer term support from mental health and social work professionals.

    Sedona Gift Shop

    Chief McGill says Hudspeth works with empathy, compassion and dignity and brings special skill to one particular segment of the homeless population. “Being a military veteran, Officer Hudspeth can especially relate with other veterans who are homeless,” he says. “Many of them have post traumatic stress disorder, and need support, not incarceration.”

    The David’s Hope organization is based in Chandler and works to reduce the number of people with mental disorders and addictions who are incarcerated. Its website is davidshopeaz.org.

    The Sedona Police Department, responsible for law enforcement in 18.6 square miles, has 28 sworn positions and 12 civilian support positions, and serves 10,000 residents and an estimated 2 million annual visitors.

    Comments are closed.


    The Sad Lesson of Tyre Nichols
    By Tommy Acosta
    Having grown up in the mean streets of the Bronx there is one lesson we learn early on, and that’s don’t mess with the cops when they got you down, and outnumbered. The beating of Tyre Nichols at the hands of the police preceding his death at the hospital could have been avoided if only he had the sense to not resist them. People fail to understand that on the streets, cops are basically “God.” You can’t fight them. If it takes one, two, five, ten or twenty officers they will eventually put you down and hurt you if they have to in the process of detaining or arresting you. In the Bronx we would fight amongst ourselves but when the cops came it was “Yes, officer. No, officer,” and do our best to look as innocent as possible. People need to understand that cops on the street represent the full power of the state and government. Read more→
    Recent Comments
    • Mary Ann Wolf on The Sad Lesson of Tyre Nichols
    • Rob on The Sad Lesson of Tyre Nichols
    • Jessica Williamson on Letter To The Editor
    • Buddy Oakes on The Sad Lesson of Tyre Nichols
    • Intbel on The Sad Lesson of Tyre Nichols
    Check out the Tlaquepaque Magazine
    Categories
    © 2023 All rights reserved. Sedona.biz.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.