This training will address teen suicide from the perspective, training and experience of Captain Ersie M. Joyner III of the Oakland Police Department. Captain Joyner will delve deeply into the emotional and behavioral warning signs, prevention and how we as mental health providers can better support teens and their families during suicidal crises. 

Born and raised in Oakland, California, Ersie M. Joyner III has devoted the past 25 years to serving his community as both police officer and a resident dedicated to improving public safety. Ersie began his career at the Oakland Police Department in 1991 as a patrol officer, and throughout his career has held a wide range of positions to include many supervisory and command level assignments.  

As a police officer, Ersie was assigned to the patrol division and later the Department’s Special Duty Unit as both an undercover narcotics officer and task force member, dedicated to addressing the violence associated with street-level narcotic trafficking. He also served as a member of the Department’s Tactical Team (SWAT) and received numerous awards for his performance. After being promoted to Sergeant in 1996, Ersie served as an investigator in the Department’s Homicide Unit. During his five years assigned to the Homicide Unit, Ersie was the lead investigator in over 75 homicide cases and was able to attain a 75% case clearance rate. Several of Ersie’s cases went to the highest court of review and were upheld becoming case law for California. After serving in the Homicide Unit, Ersie was selected as a founding member and supervisor of the Department’s Targeted Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency unit dedicated to investigating and dismantling the most violent criminal organizations in Oakland. Ersie was promoted to Lieutenant of Police in 2006 and returned to command the Department’s Homicide Unit where in addition to overseeing all homicide investigations, he was responsible for managing the investigation of all officer-involved shooting investigations.

Ersie currently serves as the Department’s Ceasefire/Compstat Commander assigned to the Office of Chief of Police where he is responsible for commanding/directing the City of Oakland’s city-wide violent crime fighting strategy, an approach based upon the nationally recognized, evidence-based “Operation Ceasefire” strategy that has produced multi-year reductions in serious violence in a variety of cities across the country. As the commander, Ersie provides guidance, strategy development, and coordinates the implementation of the program with the Mayor’s Office, OPD, community leaders, local clergy, community-based organizations, Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and state and federal law enforcement partners while using the Compstat model as a multilayered dynamic approach to crime reduction, quality of life improvement, and personnel and resource management for the entire city.