NORTHGLENN, Colo. — The Northglenn Crisis Response Unit (CRU) said it has seen a large increase in calls since 2022 as more community members seek out mental health services.
The co-responder unit pairs behavioral health specialists with Northglenn police officers to help people going through crises, including people who are having thoughts of suicide, using substances, or families needing help for a loved one. The unit is able to respond to calls that don't involve criminal behavior or a public safety threat.
"Some people feel very safe around officers, and then other people have had some instances where they're going to have a heightened fear and it's going to start to escalate them. So, having a co-responder unit walk alongside an officer gives that person another person to talk to who is looking at the root of the issues. So hopefully their crisis does not continue to be a cycle of further crisis," CRU Program Manager Jessica Hulse said.
The unit is made up of five mental health professionals who have backgrounds in behavioral health and case management. The Northglenn CRU works to provide resources for people experiencing crises, homelessness, and intervenes in situations where targeted violence may occur down the road.
Every year since the program's creation at the end of 2021, the unit has responded to more and more calls. In 2022, the unit had 3,450 interactions with community members. So far in 2025, the unit has exceeded that number and expects to hit 6,150 interactions with residents this year.
Hulse said she believes the unit is seeing a rise in calls because more community members are aware of services, more officers are turning to the co-responders for assistance on calls, and more residents are using the unit's case management services outside of calling 911.
Hulse said the unit recently received grant money, which will allow them to add two people to their team.
