December 12, 2012  John Patriquin/Staff Photographer  Tuesday,
Feb.21, 2012. Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry outside the
Sagadahoc County Courthouse and Sherff's Dept. in Bath.  Maine
police make spotty use of crisis training  By Tux Turkel Staff
Writer  State police and sheriff's deputies had drawn their guns
and were taking cover behind their cruisers and trees when
Detective Sgt. John Burne pulled up.  Burne's department, the
Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office in Bath, was responding to a
call from a panic-stricken wife. Her husband, who was in a
dispute with a neighbor, showed her a handgun and made threats
about harming the person.   But this police action had a
peaceful ending.   "I got him to quickly understand that I
wanted to help him," Burne said. "I had a brief window to
establish some trust."          Every department in Maine
"should strive to maintain at least one CIT officer per shift,"
according to the state's model policy for responding to mental
illness and involuntary commitment. The pol