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As law enforcement agencies continue responding to an increasing number of mental health-related calls, leaders with both the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office and the Clinton Police Department say specialized training and de-escalation techniques remain central to their approach.
Chief Deputy Marcus Smith said the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office has spent years investing in training that extends well beyond the minimum standards required by the state.
“The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office has, for decades, gone well beyond the minimum standards required for law enforcement training,” he said, noting the agency has previously been recognized for its firearms instruction, scenario-based training and de-escalation programs.
“In fact, your publication in years past highlighted our agency’s firearms program, scenario-based training, and de-escalation techniques, noting how our training standards exceeded the norm,” Smith pointed out “During that coverage, the then-state firearms instructor stated that Sampson County had the best training program in the state of North Carolina.”
Smith added that many deputies have also completed Crisis Intervention Training, commonly known as CIT, which focuses on safely interacting with individuals experiencing behavioral health emergencies.
“These longstanding investments in training reflect this agency’s unwavering commitment to professionalism, preparedness, accountability and public safety,” Smith said.
The Sheriff’s Office also provided statistics illustrating the volume of psychiatric-related calls deputies have handled in recent years. Through the first half of 2026, county officers have responded to 91 psychiatric calls, with 30 involving an armed individual.
According to the agency, deputies responded to 199 psychiatric calls in 2025, including 39 involving armed subjects. In 2024, deputies handled 197 such calls, 41 of which involved an armed individual. The office responded to 221 psychiatric calls in 2023, including 54 involving armed subjects; 181 calls in 2022, with 46 involving armed individuals; and 253 calls in 2021, including 51 where the individual was armed.
Clinton Police Chief Adrian Mathews said his department, likewise, emphasizes ongoing training designed to give officers additional tools during volatile encounters, particularly as it pertains to mental health calls.
“Clinton Police officers receive continuous, evidence-based instruction in de-escalation and verbal conflict resolution, reflecting the department’s commitment to safer, more effective interactions,” Mathews said.
He said participation in the One Mind Campaign and Crisis Intervention Training plays a key role in preparing officers to respond to behavioral health situations.
“A central part of this effort is participation in the One Mind Campaign and Crisis Intervention Training,” Mathews said. “While no single technique can defuse every encounter, these tools equip officers with additional strategies to manage tense or rapidly evolving situations.”
Both agencies emphasized that while every mental health incident presents unique challenges, continued training and specialized instruction are intended to help officers make informed decisions while protecting the safety of the individual in crisis, responding personnel and the public.