MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) _ Police officers from eastern Indiana will receive special training in how to react to mentally ill people whom they may confront while responding to calls

             Officers from the Muncie and Ball State police departments will under Crisis Intervention Team training through the National Alliance On Mental Illness beginning Monday.

             The program is designed to help officers steer mentally ill people into treatment rather than jail.

             NAMI says about 300,000 people in Indiana may have a serious mental illness and often end up in jail when treatment would be more appropriate.

             The Muncie and Ball State officers will have 40 hours of training including how to recognize the signs of mental illness and bring psychiatric crises under control.