First Responder Friday - Ernie Stevens

Ernie Stevens joins us for a conversation about mental health and law enforcement. Ernie was instrumental in changing the way the San Antonio Police Department handled calls dealing with citizens who have mental health issues.   BIO Ernie Stevens started his law enforcement career in 1992 when he joined the Terrell Hills Police Department; he then transitioned to the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) in 1994. Ernie has been assigned to a wide variety of units throughout his 28 year career, helping him gain a deeper understanding of the unique struggles police encounter on a daily basis. He has served with the Patrol, DWI, Tactical Response, and Field Training units, and he’s currently assigned to the Mental Health Unit where he has been for 12 years. Ernie was one of the founding members of SAPD’s Mental Health Unit where he pioneers innovative training to provide law enforcement with a deeper understanding of citizens living with mental health diagnosis and the real-world skills necessary to assist them.  Ernie is an advanced instructor and has been certified by the FBI in hostage negotiation. He has served on the board of Directors of The National Alliance On Mental Illness. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and is currently enrolled in Graduate school. In 2019 Ernie was featuring in the EMMY®-Award Winning HBO Documentary, Ernie and Joe: Crisis Cops. He’s also appeared on a number of television programs including: NBC’s A Different Kind of Force and ABC’s Nightline. Ernie is dedicated to continue the effort to find better ways for law enforcement and the community to connect with each other. He has been married for 16 years and has two children.   +++++ The First Responder Friday Podcast is a production of ConjoStudios, LLC as a part of the PTSD911 Documentary project. Visit our web site for more info about the film. www.ptsd911movie.com Host/Producer: Conrad Weaver Please support our film: https://www.thefilmcollaborative.org/fiscalsponsorship/projects/ptsd911 Copyright ©2020 ConjoStudios, LLC All rights reserved.