News Flash

City news releases

Posted on: February 11, 2021

Marysville adds dedicated crisis response to Police outreach

The Marysville Police Department, in partnership with the Arlington and Lake Stevens Police Departments, is adding new specialized resources to its policing toolkit. Two dedicated mental health specialists will now be assigned to join officers in responding to incidents involving persons experiencing a behavioral health crisis.  

The Marysville City Council approved this pilot program at its Feb. 8 Council meeting. Marysville’s portion of the pilot program ending June 30 is entirely funded by a $95,000 grant from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). The cities of Arlington and Lake Stevens are partners in the program and will share with Marysville the services of the two mental health specialists employed by Compass Mental Health. 

This new program builds upon Marysville’s successful embedded social worker program that since 2018 has paired a city police officer with a social worker in outreach to people with addiction and/or mental health issues to offer them treatment and other social services. Since that program started, the Marysville team helped 30 people, many of them homeless, obtain mental health evaluations. 

“Our police officers have been responding more often to calls involving mental health issues outside their areas of expertise,” Mayor Jon Nehring said. “I’m excited to add mental health experts to the Marysville public safety team. This investment is a good one for our officers and for the public we serve.”

Chief Scairpon called out the critical nature of this work: “Improving outcomes for those who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis is among some of our community’s most important priorities,” he said. “We know from other evidence-based programs that the co-responder model of pairing a dedicated crisis responder with a police officer creates a winning combination that creates safety and helps deliver these positive outcomes.”

Chief Scairpon told the City Council about a recent incident where a responding officer was injured by a person experiencing mental health issues. He said that if a mental health specialist had been there, that outcome might have been avoided.  

The Police Department will monitor the pilot program’s achievements and, if successful, plan for adjustments as needed and funding its continuation after the pilot ends this summer. 


Facebook Twitter Email

Other News in City news releases

Sept. 11 Remembrance Monday 9/11 8:30 a.m., Civic Center, 501 Delta Ave.

Marysville remembers 9/11

Posted on: September 5, 2023

Pump track coming to Marysville

Posted on: February 2, 2023

City opens temporary garbage drop-off site

Posted on: December 21, 2022

Marysville remembers 9/11

Posted on: September 1, 2022

Mayor’s Coffee Klatch returns May 2

Posted on: April 12, 2022
Ken Baxter Community Center: Thanks for the memories!

Community Center moving in 2022

Posted on: April 28, 2021

Fake Police calls are a new scam

Posted on: April 8, 2021
Shred-A-Thon May 8, 10 a.m.-Noon, Marysville City Hall, 1049 State Ave.

City Shred-A-Thon returns May 8

Posted on: April 7, 2021

First Street Bypass opens to traffic

Posted on: October 2, 2020
Scairpon-official crop

New Police Chief coming to Marysville

Posted on: September 10, 2020

A message from the Police Chief

Posted on: June 4, 2020

Residential garbage service changes

Posted on: April 3, 2020

Youth Fishing Derby canceled

Posted on: March 27, 2020
COVID-19

City acts in response to COVID-19

Posted on: March 12, 2020

Property tax information

Posted on: February 5, 2020

Marysville Police host blood drive Dec. 30

Posted on: December 11, 2019

Blood drive Feb. 20 at Marysville Library

Posted on: February 13, 2019