A Perry County sheriff’s deputy was one of two Missouri law enforcement officers to receive international honors for their efforts in crisis intervention.
Det. Cpl. Jason Klaus, 44, of Frohna — who also serves as the Missouri State Crisis Intervention Team coordinator — was named as one of the recipients of the 2020 Michael Woody/Michele Saunders CIT Coordinator of the Year Award, along with Cpl. Leann Robertson of the Rolla Police Department, who was named First Responder of the Year.
“[Klaus] takes this to heart and puts everything he’s got into it,” said Sheriff Gary Schaaf. “He works at it. He utilizes the skills he’s got in that in his work for me, and he’s been pretty successful in getting other departments across the state involved.”
The CIT program is a community partnership of law enforcement, mental health and addiction professionals, individuals who live with mental illness and/or addiction disorders, their families, and other advocates.
Klaus’ award, which was announced last month, was officially presented during CIT International’s virtual conference held last week.
According to CIT International, Klaus was chosen for his strong leadership of the Missouri CIT Council, and recognized for helping CIT thrive and expand throughout the state, while doing an excellent job of engaging with different levels of support and promoting CIT well beyond the training.
“I’ve had the opportunity to be the Missouri state CIT coordinator for two years now,” Klaus said, “We’re really proud of the work we’re doing, and I appreciate the recognition, but there’s a lot more work that needs to be done.”
Part of that work has been collaborating with emergency medical service personnel to develop a 40-hour basic CIT course with EMS-specific role-play scenarios.
According to a press release issued by CIT International, “[Klaus] does not rush through any task, he takes his time, does his research, builds his relationships, obtains feedback, tests extensively and finally rolls out a nearly flawless product, every single time.”
Klaus also developed an 8-hour concepts class, which is being taught by several local councils with the goal of developing advanced, youth, veterans, dispatch/telecom classes standardized, much like the 40-hour basic CIT training.
Robertson was honored as an officer who demonstrates exemplary CIT knowledge and skills.
She was recognized for doing a great job of sharing her knowledge of community resources and successfully de-escalating tense situations.
Robertson was also acknowledged for her relationships with her mental health community and showing true compassion to individuals and families who struggle with mental illness and substance use disorders.
The Missouri CIT Council and specific members have received international recognition for the past five years.
On Monday, Missouri state representatives Rick Francis and Dale Wright — who both represent Perry County — presented Klaus with a House resolution recognizing his achievements.
The resolution, which includes a list of Klaus’ many accomplishments as a law enforcement officer and CIT coordinator, states, “We, the members of the Missouri House of Representatives, 100th General Assembly, join to salute Detective Jason Klaus and to convey to him this legislative body’s most heartfelt commendation for his service with the Perry County Sheriff’s Office, and our best wishes for continued personal and professional success now and in the future.”
Klaus, a 1998 graduate of Southeast Missouri State, has been with the Perry County Sheriff’s office since 1996, serving as a jail officer, a patrol deputy, and a school resource officer before becoming a detective.
The goals of CIT are to promote more effective interactions between law enforcement and individuals in crisis through a 40-hour training course centered on behavioral health education and de-escalation skills; to help individuals in crisis by connecting them with appropriate community resources in an effort to divert involvement with the criminal justice system; to improve the safety of the officer and individuals in crisis; and to reduce stigma and expand the CIT program across the state.
For more information about Missouri CIT, visit https://www.missouricit.org/.
