Community Resource Officer Program

Published on January 23, 2025

The Fridley Public Safety Department is excited to introduce the Community Resource Officer (CRO﴿ program as a trial program beginning in January 2025. The CRO program pairs specially trained Fridley police officers with the department’s Embedded Co‐Response Mental Health Clinician, Erin Buller, to respond to and work with mental health, social service and community health needs.

What is the Community Resource Officer Program?

The CRO program combines traditional police work with a focus on social services, mental health and community health. Starting 2025, during most of the week, Erin will accompany CRO officers in their squad car and focus their time on responding to crises or community needs calls while assisting other patrol officers with standard patrol duties. The role will place Erin and the specially‐trained CROs front and center in the community when someone may be most willing to accept or need professional assistance or during a crisis. Additionally, it will reduce the burden on standard patrol officers that often, due to calls to other priority police calls, can only partially focus on one matter.

Six different patrol officers will rotate into the CRO position throughout the year. CROs will receive additional certifications, such as Crisis Intervention Training, and attend enhanced officer training on social services, working with various populations, and community outreach. Most significantly, CROs will also benefit from learning from Erin, an experienced social worker and crisis responder. CROs will be dispatched into the community by 911 just like any other police call. The community will also see CROs helping standard patrol officers, especially if their skills are needed. A patrol sergeant will supervise the CROs day‐to‐day operations, and the Support Division Lieutenant‐led the program.

Meet Erin, Our Embedded Co‐Response Mental Health Clinician

Erin joined the Fridley Police Department in February 2024 as the department’s first Embedded Co‐Response Mental Health Clinician, as part of the Anoka County Mobile Crisis team and contracted through Canvas Health. Canvas Health is a nonprofit community mental health clinic that helps children, adolescents, adults, and families find ways to heal as they cope with mental illness, substance use disorders, and crises. Erin is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW﴿ with a Master of Social Work (MSW﴿ and a Master of Jurisprudence (MJ﴿ degree, bringing extensive experience in mental health care. Currently, Erin works closely with officers in the field, joining them in their squad cars to respond to police calls and attend to ongoing community needs. As a member of the Anoka Mobile Crisis Team, Erin can coordinate and work with Anoka Mobile Crisis to provide comprehensive crisis and mental health services to the citizens of Fridley. The Anoka County Mobile Crisis Team is fully staffed and operated by Canvas Health and funded by Anoka County.

Over the past nine months, Erin has helped the Fridley Public Safety Department develop a more individual‐focused approach. Erin has coordinated care plans involving the police, crisis individuals, and healthcare providers. Aligning the collaboration has helped ensure everyone is providing the best approach to care and helped officers respond more effectively. Erin has educated local care providers on managing crises early as well as coaching them on when to contact crisis services versus 911, reducing the need for police involvement, enhancing the support for individuals in need. Erin has arranged "meet and greet" sessions with individuals in the community, allowing officers to connect with On October 24, the Fridley Police Association partnered with Omnetics, Inc., and the Fridley Lions Club to hold their annual Coats from Cops event. Coats, boots and other winter gear were provided to 176 families in an effort to keep area children warm this winter. them outside of a crisis, increasing trust and reducing future conflict. The holistic approach has led to fewer police calls, reduced mental health transport holds, and a stronger focus on individual care.

A New Approach: Building Relationships and Trust

Combining Erin’s skills and experience with specially trained officers, the CRO program intends to enhance how officers interact with individuals in crisis. The focus and flexibility will allow CROs to build meaningful relationships, attend to ongoing issues, and improve future initiatives. Having numerous officers rotate through the position will allow these officers to later apply the specialized experience and training during their standard patrol duties, even if not assigned to the CRO program.

Why This Matters

The CRO program represents a significant step toward a more compassionate and practical approach to the community. By working closely with Erin, officers will be better equipped to help individuals in need through mental health support, connecting them to social services, or simply providing a supportive presence. This partnership is already making a positive impact, and as the program grows, we expect even greater results. The Fridley Public Safety Department looks forward to the continued success and positive changes the CRO program will bring to Fridley in 2025 and beyond.