The Wake Forest Police Department has honored one of its own, Officer C. Craig, as the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Officer of the Year for 2025. This recognition comes on the heels of Craig's deft handling of a potential suicide on the Dr. Calvin Jones Highway/NC 98 Bypass—demonstrating the critical role of specialized mental health training in law enforcement. The announcement highlighted both the rapid response and compassionate approach taken by Officer Craig during the incident.
The CIT program, at its core, is a collaborative effort amongst 17 Wake County law enforcement agencies, Wake County Human Services, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Its primary goal is to forge a more humane and effective response to individuals in mental health or developmental disability crises. Officers like Craig receive 40 hours of specialized training, ensuring they can identify, engage, and deescalate such dire situations with fewer incidents resulting in incarceration or injury.
It was back on August 15, 2024, when Officer Craig's training became more than theoretical. Positioning his cruiser along a busy highway bridge, he chanced upon a young female with blood on her arm and the surrounding guardrail—a silent scream that she might leap into the void below. In what could have spiraled into tragedy, became a moment of connection. According to statements provided by WFPD, Craig talked with the young woman, who eventually agreed to seek help and contact her family.
Lt. C. Minor has been vocal about the profound effect of Officer Craig's actions. "Due to his professional and compassionate interaction with the young lady, not to mention his vigilance and dedication while on patrol, Officer Craig likely saved her life," Minor expressed. The incident underscored the value of crisis intervention training, transforming a potential fatality into a call for help—and for that reason, Minor contends, Craig stands as a paragon of WFPD's values: courage, honor, integrity.
Acknowledging the gravity of Officer Craig's contributions, the Wake Forest Police Department has fittingly chosen him as their CIT Officer of the Year, poised as someone who not only knows the letter of the law but also clearly understands the heart of it.
