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# McPherson police chief presses for wider behavioral health services
- URL: https://www.citizenjournal.us/mcpherson-police-chief-presses-for-wider-behavioral-health-services/
- Published: 2026-08-20T12:50:52.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-20T12:50:52.000Z
- Description: Golden is also an ambassador for Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, which works with first responders and veterans dealing with trauma.
- Author: Greg Loving
- Tags: mcj, dnn, #news

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McPherson Police Chief [Mikel Golden](https://mcpcity.com/m/directory/employee?eid=72&ref=citizenjournal.us) wrote an op-ed for the Kansas Reflector, published Wednesday, Aug. 19, under the headline "We cannot arrest our way out of a mental health crisis, in Kansas or elsewhere."

Sharing the op-ed the same day, the McPherson Police Department said the Certified Community Behavioral Health Center that Prairie View operates for McPherson, Harvey and Marion counties is working, but that mental and behavioral health resources and services need to expand, especially in western Kansas.

The department said Golden sits on Prairie View's executive board and attends meetings with McPherson Center for Health, USD 418 and Prairie View on community programs and resources. He also serves on the Kansas governor's subcommittee for service members, veterans and families and is president of the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police.

[Read the op-ed](https://kansasreflector.com/2026/08/19/we-cannot-arrest-our-way-out-of-a-mental-health-crisis-in-kansas-or-elsewhere/?ref=citizenjournal.us)

*This article was written using our proprietary AI system, Cronkite. The final decision to publish this article was made by a human. For more info, read our* [*AI policy*](https://www.citizenjournal.us/ai-policy/)*.*

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