About Us
The Kansas Law Enforcement Crisis Intervention Team Council was established in Johnson County Kansas in 2004. Our council was created for the purpose of forming a partnership between law enforcement, the mental health system, courts, individuals with a mental illness, and their families. The council’s primary mission is to provide training and CIT certification for law enforcement officers based on the CIT model created by the Memphis, Tennessee Police Department in 1988. Our council is represented by local law enforcement officers, mental health professionals, court personnel, and mental health advocates. Through the efforts of our members, we strive to promote education, advocacy, and problem solving in our communities throughout the State of Kansas. Our goal is to reduce dangerous confrontations between citizens in crisis and law enforcement officers, and reduce recidivism and arrests by diverting individuals with a mental illness to appropriate community mental health providers.
Current CIT Council Members
Sergeant Jason Hinkle
Lenexa Police Department
Council Chairman
Sergeant Jason Hinkle joined the Kansas Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2017. He began his law enforcement career in 2000 and has been with the Lenexa Police Department since 2007. Sergeant Hinkle has worked as a police officer, field training officer, tactical team operator, directed patrol officer, narcotics investigator, and as a general assignment detective. Currently, he is a patrol field supervisor and CIT Coordinator.
Sierra Wright, LMSW
Johnson County Mental Health
Council Vice Chair
Sierra Wright is the Community Prevention Manager for Johnson County Mental Health Center. Sierra has been with Johnson County Mental Health Center since 2012. Sierra and her team work to promote mental wellness, as well as prevent suicide and substance use disorders within Johnson County communities. She serves on the leadership team of the Johnson County Prevention and Recovery Coalition. Sierra is passionate about promoting mental wellness and increasing protective factors within our community.
Cindy Glaeser
Johnson County NAMI
Council Secretary
Cindy Glaeser is currently serving as the President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Johnson County. She is the mother of an individual with a serious mental illness. When the illness struck her child at the age of 18, she immediately realized that resources and support for the mentally ill is severely lacking in our country. After taking the NAMI Family to Family course, it was very to clear to her that she needed to join NAMI to advocate for the mentally ill and their family members. Cindy joined the Kansas Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2021.
Officer Tommie Eisenhut
Leawood Police Department
Council Treasurer
Officer Tommie Eisenhut joined the Kansas Law Enforcement Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2019. He has served with the Leawood Police Department since 2017 in the Patrol Division.
Michelle Burchyett, LCP
Johnson County Mental Health
Michelle Burchyett joined the Kansas Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2011. She has been with Johnson County Mental Health for 17 years and is currently the team leader for their Mobile Crisis Response Team. This team answers the Mental Health Emergency line during business hours and partners with law enforcement to outreach individuals in the community experiencing a mental health crisis.
Letitia Ferwalt
Johnson County District Attorney's Office
Letitia Ferwalt joined the Kansas Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2009. She has been with the Johnson County Kansas District Attorney's office since 2001 and is the Diversion Coordinator supervising the Care & Treatment Unit as well as the Criminal, Traffic, and Mental Health Diversion Programs. Serving on the Family Panel at CIT, she also gives presentations about her experience parenting a son with mental illness.
Officer Jordan Foust
Shawnee Police Department
Officer Jordan Foust joined the Kansas Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2023. He has been in law enforcement since 2017 and currently works for the Shawnee Police Department. He is currently assigned as a Field Training Officer (FTO) in the patrol division.
Carol Kladuson
Mental Health Advocate
Carol Kladuson has several family members who have experienced mental illnesses and has been a mental health advocate since joining Families For Mental Health in 1981. She has also been a member and served on boards of several other mental health community and state organizations. In addition, she served as a Parent Support and Education Specialist working with families of children and teenagers receiving services from Wyandot Center and Johnson County Mental Health Center. Carol joined the Kansas Law Enforcement CIT Council in 2021.
Sergeant Robert McKeirnan
Olathe Police Department
Sergeant Robert McKeirnan joined the Kansas Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2016. He has been with the Olathe Police Department since 2009. During his time with Olathe, he has served as a Patrol Officer, Police Explorer Supervisor, Field Training Officer, CIT Unit Officer, and Patrol Sergeant. Sergeant McKeirnan has worked closely with the Olathe Police Department Mental Health Co-Responder Program as it has been implemented and continues to evolve. He currently supervises the Olathe behavioral health unit: The Advanced Crisis-Intervention Team.
Jessica Murphy, LMSW
Johnson County Mental Health
Jessica Murphy joined the Kansas Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2022. She has been with the Johnson County Mental Health Center (JCMHC) since 2007. Jessica “grew up” in community mental health with positions as attendant care, case manager and crisis clinician. She became the team leader for the Co-Responder program in 2017. She is currently an Emergency Services Deputy Division Director at JCMHC and continues to oversee the co-responder program and mobile crisis response. She led an initiative to launch of the first annual National Co-Responder Conference and is also now the Board Chair of the International Co-Responder Alliance.
Deputy Joseph Reindl
Johnson County Sheriff's Office
Deputy Joseph Reindl joined the Kansas Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2023. He has been with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office since 2017. During his time with the Sheriff’s Office, he has served as a Detention Deputy, Patrol Deputy, Field Training Officer, Drone Operator, Accident Team Investigator, and Peer Support member. He is currently assigned to the Patrol & Traffic Division.
Officer Justin Shepherd
Overland Park Police Department
Officer Justin Shepherd joined the KS Law Enforcement Crisis Intervention Team Council in 2018. He has been a police officer for 12 years with the Overland Park Police Department. In his time with Overland Park, he has served as a patrol officer, Field Training Officer (FTO), COPPS officer, School Resource Officer (SRO), and currently as the CIT Coordinator.