City of West Plains

Special Teams

Crisis Intervention Team

Originally established in 2018 as the Missouri Mid-South CIT Council, the organization was formed through a collaborative effort between the West Plains Police Department and the Howell County Sheriff’s Office. In 2024, the Council was renamed the 37th District CIT Council to better reflect the region it serves. The Council is composed of representatives from law enforcement agencies, mental health organizations, licensed mental health professionals, social workers, and community outreach programs.
Following its formation, the Council developed a specialized training program based on the nationally recognized Memphis Model and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) guidelines. In October 2019, the program celebrated its first graduating class, which included thirty officers—ten of whom were members of the West Plains Police Department.
The mission of the Crisis Intervention Team is to foster strong partnerships between law enforcement and mental health systems in order to prevent the inappropriate incarceration of individuals experiencing mental illness. CIT programs in Missouri aim to provide officers with the tools and knowledge necessary to safely and effectively respond to those in crisis.
Both local and national statistics continue to show a sharp increase in law enforcement encounters involving individuals experiencing mental health emergencies. In response, the West Plains Police Department has made CIT training a strategic priority. This nationally accredited program equips officers with communication skills and resource knowledge to better assist individuals in crisis.
It is the Department’s goal to have every officer fully trained in CIT principles. By doing so, we aim to increase access to appropriate services for affected individuals and reduce the chances that those struggling with mental illness are overlooked or improperly handled.
Unlike traditional criminal encounters, mental health crises often involve individuals suffering through no fault of their own. The West Plains Police Department views it as both a duty and a moral obligation to initiate the process of care and connection to critical support services for these members of our community.
Mid South CIT Council

Strategic Response Team

The West Plains Strategic Response Team (SRT) was created in December of 2017 and consists of commissioned personnel from the West Plains Police Department. The West Plains Strategic Response Team is an “on-call” division that responds to a variety of incidents to include high risk situations, barricaded subjects, search warrant execution, search and rescue operations, bomb threats, and planned events within the city where additional staffing is needed. The West Plains Strategic Response Team also assists the Region G All Hazards Team which consists of law enforcement, fire, and medical personnel that responds to hazardous incidents in the Region G area.

The West Plains Strategic Response Team includes multiple members of the Crisis Negotiations Team and a K-9 Unit. SRT also participates in multiple Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) saturations throughout the year where officers look for impaired drivers within the city limits of West Plains.

Team members receive specialized training in operational movements and techniques, firearms tactics, less lethal tactics, defensive tactics, and advanced medical training. Lieutenant Kyle Ellison operates as the Commander for the Strategic Response Team. Sergeant Colter Reid is the Team Leader, and Officer Ivie Powell operates as the Assistance Team Leader. The Team Leader coordinates the team response, conducts incident briefings/debriefings, and schedules training for the members. The Chief of Police oversees all team operations.

Forensic Evidence Team

In 2020 The Department realized there were two areas that needed to be improved in regards to evidence handling in violent crimes. The first of these improvements was the development and selection of a “Forensic Evidence Team”. The team was created by selecting three patrol officers that would receive additional training in evidence collection to assist Investigators during major incidents. The training they received will also assist them in their regular assignments and makes them a resource for Patrol Officers to draw upon when the need arises.

The second improvement was the development of a Forensic Evidence Vehicle that would hold all kinds of crime scene investigation and evidence collection equipment that would be needed at a major crime scene. This was managed by taking a decommisioned Ambulance and repurposing to meet the need.

Contact Us

417-256-7176

1910 Holiday Lane
West Plains, Mo, 65775

Open City Hall Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

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