ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Rochester Police Accountability Team is taking a closer look at Rochester’s Person In Crisis team, to determine how it might have helped in the incident where police pepper-sprayed a 9-year-old girl.

The PIC team is a new program launched by the City of of Rochester, which sends mental health professionals to mental health calls, as opposed to sending law enforcement.

Dr. Daniele Lyman-Torres helps manage the PIC team and says the team was not yet available as a resource for police when the incident in question took place.

“I definitely think there is more opportunity for the PIC team to respond,” Dr. Lyman-Torres said. “I think there is more opportunity for the PIC team to work to be expanded, but in order to make that expansion happen there is some protocols and trainings that need to occur – not only for the PIC team but also our partners with EMS and RPD.”

Dr. Lyman-Torres says this expansion will only be made possible if they are able to staff more people to be on call for potential mental health calls.