Local law enforcement officers were recognized Friday afternoon for completing training to promote community safety.

20 members of departments across Mahoning County graduated from Crisis Intervention Training, a program coordinated by the Mental Health and Recovery Board and NAMI Mahoning Valley.

The 40-hour training intends to equip officers with resources and skills to help de-escalate situations where someone may be experiencing a mental health crisis.

Some departments say they're seeing lessons from the training put into action when responding to sensitive calls.

"In the last 18 months, we specifically had a call of an individual who wanted to take his own life. One of the deputies that responded was a CIT trained deputy," Mahoning County Chief Deputy Sheriff William Cappabianca recounts. "There was a peaceful resolution, and we were able to get that individual help."

Duane Piccirilli, Executive Director of the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board, says, the program is offered twice a year in hopes of reaching as many law enforcement officials as possible.

"We're excited because Austintown Police Department has every one of their officers trained, and so that's our goal for all the departments. But we keep getting turnover, and we keep working harder," Piccirilli adds.