Don Johnson (left) from the East Palestine Police Department was presented the 2025 CIT Officer of the Year award. Det. Robert Sanchez, Columbiana County CIT Coordinator for law enforcement, presented the award. (Photo courtesy of the Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board)

ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP — East Palestine Police Lt. Don Johnson was named Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Officer of the Year during a luncheon Oct. 28 at Riser’s Tavern on the Links, recognizing his dedication to helping individuals in crisis and supporting his fellow first responders.

Johnson, who began his law enforcement career in the mid-1990s, has served in multiple roles, including patrolman and K9 officer, and currently holds the rank of lieutenant. He completed CIT training in 2024 and has since been a strong advocate for connecting people struggling with mental illness or substance use to treatment.

He works closely with the county’s Mobile Crisis Response Team and also serves on the Peer Support Team for first responders. In addition, Johnson sits on the board of directors for Camp Braveheart, a program that helps first responders and their families find healing and resilience through nature.

The award presentation took place during the graduation ceremony for 12 law enforcement officers and a mobile crisis response worker who completed the 40-hour CIT training. The program, sponsored by the Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board (CCMHRSB) with support from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, was hosted by the St. Clair Township Police Department at the Township Administration Building’s Community Room.

CIT training teaches officers how to safely and effectively respond to calls involving individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The program’s goals include improving safety, connecting people to behavioral health services, using law enforcement strategically, and reducing trauma during crisis situations.

The 2025 graduates include David Miller and Jordin Campbell (Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office), Courtney Gilbert (Columbiana Police Department); Michael Boyd and Flisha Kelsey (East Liverpool Police Department), Gavin Rambo (Leetonia Police Department); Matthew DeNiro and William Dickson (Lisbon Police Department), Joshua Yeager (Ohio Highway Patrol Lisbon Post), Austin Sinkovich and Channing Hank (Salem Police Department), Russell Beatty (Washingtonville Police Department) and Jaime McMillin (Mobile Crisis Response Team).

CIT instruction covered topics such as de-escalation, mental illness, substance use disorders, suicide prevention, officer wellness, veteran and geriatric concerns, developmental disabilities, and local resources.

The CCMHRSB provides CIT training annually at no cost to agencies, along with a companion course for dispatchers. With this latest class, a total of 134 officers, dispatchers, and civilians have been trained through the county’s program.