Changing The Response | Kayla Illsley
In this episode, Kayla shares her journey from volunteer firefighter to paramedic, wildland medic, and eventually law enforcement officer with the Airway Heights Police Department. We talk about the reality of crisis calls, trauma-informed policing, peer support, and the growing need for stronger partnerships between public safety and mental health professionals.
We also discuss her work on the West Plains Crisis Response Team and alongside Crisis Response K9 Tonks, helping create calmer, more compassionate interactions during emotionally charged situations.
This conversation goes beyond the badge.
It’s about what modern public safety could look like when the focus is people first.
Police Officer
Officer Kayla Illsley is a police officer with the Airway Heights Police Department and serves on the West Plains Crisis Response Team, where she works alongside mental health professionals in a co-responder model focused on crisis intervention, de-escalation, and community support. With a diverse background spanning fire service, EMS, and law enforcement, she brings a well-rounded and compassionate approach to public safety.
Officer Illsley began her public safety career as a volunteer firefighter before transitioning into emergency medical services, where she spent 10 years working in a variety of demanding environments. During her EMS career, she served with multiple volunteer agencies, worked full time for American Medical Response (AMR) as a Paramedic, operated as a wildland medic, and provided medical coverage at large-scale events, including Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), the world’s largest EDM festival, along with several other major music festivals and mass-gathering events. She also served as the Assistant Commander for the AMR Honor Guard and currently serves as a peer support member, supporting fellow first responders through critical incidents and personal challenges.
Her law enforcement career began in Oregon with a small rural agency, where she served as a School Resource Deputy and Child Crimes Investigator. Those early experiences helped shape her passion for crisis intervention, victim advocacy, youth engagement, and trauma-informed policing.
Today, Officer Illsley combines her backgrounds in EMS and law enforcement to help bri…Read More