"I think this is the direction policing is headed. We've always been committed to keeping this city safe, year after year. Now, we're more focused on enhancing quality of life." - Officer Upshaw
For the Chandler Police Department, it wasn’t long ago that answering a mental health call left patrol officers with few options—arrest, an overwhelmed ER, or a repeat call days later. But today, a different response is taking hold. At the heart of it is a team with the time and specialized training to police with further empathy—slowing things down and helping people find their footing again.
Officer Nicole Upshaw describes it simply: “We’re the ones who can take the time. If I need my full 10-hour shift to talk someone down, I can use it. And that frees up our patrol guys to focus on the emergencies they’re there for— investigate crimes, burglaries, and the trespassing calls.”
Since early 2024, Chandler Police Department's Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) has become a quiet force behind hundreds of moments like this—moments that once may have ended in jail, or worse, now reshaped by conversation, trust, and follow-through to get people the resources they need.
“There was a growing recognition across the country that law enforcement needed another avenue—another way to have a positive impact with people in crisis,” says Sergeant Matt Cacciola. “Some agencies were seeing real success, and Chandler saw the potential. We realized that with specialized training, our officers could do more than respond—we could help de-escalate, connect people to care, and give them a chance at a safer outcome.”
It started modestly. In 2023, it was just a sergeant. By early 2024, two officers had joined the unit, and together they were handling nearly a third of all mental health-related calls in the city.
Officer Upshaw remembers those early days well. “We were running constantly,” she says. “Just three of us covering the entire city, handling 32% of all mental health calls. That told us how needed this really was.”
Their success brought growth. As of mid-2025, the BHU is now five strong, including Officers Jesse Metzler, Erin O’Bryan, Morgan Klipp and professional staff member Nancy Martinez. But the philosophy hasn’t changed.
This isn’t traditional police work, Officer Upshaw explains. “You’re not investigating crimes. There might not be a criminal element at all. It’s about using your words—changing someone's outlook. Helping them see maybe the best fit for you is going to the hospital today.”
Training is intensive. Officers complete Crisis Intervention Training and FBI-hosted negotiator school, learning communication strategies from federal experts. “It taught us how to talk to people, to better build rapport with people who don’t want you there,” Upshaw says. “You have to build trust from the ground up, show you are there for their well-being.”
Sometimes, it’s a slow climb. Upshaw recalls one call from a woman grieving the death of a child she once cared for. “She was deeply depressed. Suicidal. We sat in her apartment, and just talked. We cried. I told her, ‘You can't end your story here. You have kids who need you.’ Eventually, she got in the car with me. That’s how it starts.”
The unit’s reach extends beyond individual calls. They partner with organizations like Community Bridges, Mind 24/7, and Chandler Fire Department’s Crisis Response Team, CR288, and respond to requests from Adult Protective Services for de-escalation training. Their community presence is strong—and intentional.
“People text us now,” says Sgt. Cacciola. “‘Hey, I’m 30 days sober.’ Or just, ‘Can we talk?’ That’s one less 911 call. One less law enforcement interaction.”
The officers see the difference. Metzler recalls a call where a person claimed to be armed and barricaded. From his work in BHU he recognized the details, the residence involved in the call. "Had that information been given to a regular patrol officer, it probably would have ended in a SWAT callout, or possibly an officer-involved shooting," he says. "But because I recognized the details as they were coming over the radio—and I knew this individual—I was able to cancel the patrol response. He calls in to try to get a big police response to his house. Knowing that, we avoided a lot of trouble, possibly even a use of force."
But, what fuels them isn’t just efficiency—it’s impact.
“I haven’t made an arrest in over a year,” Upshaw said. “But this is the best police work I’ve ever done.”
For Sgt. Cacciola, the change is personal. “Years ago, if someone had a mental health crisis, jail was often the only option. Now we have resources. We can follow up. They get to know us a bit more than just a police officer. We’re seeing how these officers are impacting and changing lives.”
He once received an email from a woman he hadn’t seen in 15 years. She still carried his business card in her purse. “When I’m struggling, I look at your card,” she wrote. “Your interaction, the impact that you had, gets me through my bad days.”
This isn’t just a shift in Chandler—it’s a model. One that shows other departments what’s possible when you give space and support for a different kind of policing. One that clears patrol to handle violent or urgent calls, while specialists spend the time it takes to bring someone in crisis safely back to stability.
In Chandler, the badge still stands for protection. But in the BHU, it also stands for presence. For being there when it matters. For staying a little longer. And for making sure someone in crisis doesn’t face it alone.