Hanover officially initiates Marcus Alert system

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Hanover County has officially initiated the Marcus Alert system to help individuals experiencing mental health related issues and emergencies.

The Marcus Alert system offers "a framework for helping individuals experiencing a crisis related to mental health, substance use or a developmental disability," according to the county's website.

Through coordination between 911 dispatch, crisis call centers, first responders and mobile crisis teams, someone having a behavioral health emergency will receive not just a law enforcement response, but help behavioral health professionals.

(Photo: Hanover County)

The alert is named after Marcus-David Peters -- a high school teacher and VCU alum -- who was shot and killed by Richmond Police while experiencing a mental health crisis in 2018.

There are several protocols and levels of response within the Marcus Alert system that ensure calls are being transferred to the right people and law enforcement officers are receiving training to help with behavioral health related incidents.

This announcement comes several years after Marcus Alert systems were implemented in five regions of Virginia, including the city of Richmond, back in 2021.

For more information about Hanover instituting Marcus Alerts and to submit feedback on relevant experiences, click here.