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Minneapolis Is Testing a New Approach to Public Safety

Joe Barrett Deena Winter

August 13, 2021 |

Wall Street Journal |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Agape Movement was born during the tensest moments of the 2020 social-justice uprising in Minneapolis, using unarmed community members to provide safety to protesters. Since then the city awarded it multiple contracts to field dozens of "credible messengers" to mediate disputes and serve as a buffer between the police and the community. Agape workers helped maintain a peaceful transition as a protest space called George Floyd Square was reopened to traffic in June 2021. It serves as an early test of community-led policing alternatives in the city.

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Seattle will invest $30 million in strategies recommended by panel for communities of color

Daniel Beekman

August 09, 2021 |

The Seattle Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

The Equitable Communities Initiative brought together representatives from a range of nonprofits serving people of color to make recommendations for investments that support communities of color. Each panelist brought distinct work and life experiences that informed their recommendations for 18 kinds of investments. The city has approved the $30 million budget to address long-standing disparities in the areas of business, education, health, and housing. The model relied on advocates with on-the-ground knowledge of community needs to take the lead, while city staffers provided logistic and technical support.

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The Path Forward: Decriminalizing addiction through diversion

Ryan Lowery

July 29, 2021 |

Las Vegas Optic |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Alamosa, Colorado

In Alamosa County, law enforcement officers who believe drug abuse is at the root of a person's criminal behavior can refer that person to treatment and other services, rather than arresting and jailing them. The Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program, used in multiple places around the country, has helped the county jail fewer people and send more into treatment. It also has caused a large drop in arrest warrants, because case workers help people make their appointments in court and elsewhere. Now, San Miguel County, N.M., is working to adopt LEAD, though it needs more treatment facilities.

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This city de-funded the police. Here's what happened next

Richard Hall

July 29, 2021 |

The Independent |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Rochester, New York

Less than a year after Rochester experienced its own version of the George Floyd case, when a clash with police led to the death of Daniel Prude, a man in a mental health crisis, Rochester diverted money from the police to fund a Person In Crisis team to respond differently to such crises. Two mental health and social workers accompany police on relevant calls 24/7, about 100 calls per week. Their presence can de-escalate potentially violent encounters and get people the help they need without an arrest.

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Leaving Behind Uniforms And Sirens, Summit County Sheriff Expands Crisis Response

Leigh Paterson

July 26, 2021 |

KUNC |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Frisco, Colorado

The Summit County, Colorado, sheriff's office runs SMART (Systemwide Mental Assessment Response), which pairs armed deputies with clinicians to respond to mental health crises. In 2020, the two teams took hundreds of calls but made only one arrest. Instead, most people are helped on the spot or referred to services that can help. The county plans to expand the service to 24/7 with two more teams, plus one mobile crisis until to handle suicide threats, staffed only by civilian mental health professionals. This report discusses the range of models used nationwide with and without police involvement.

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NYC is sending social workers instead of police to some 911 calls. Here's how it's going.

Ryan W. Miller

July 23, 2021 |

USA Today |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

A pilot project in three New York Police Department precincts of Harlem showed in its first month that it can divert some mental-health crises away from hospitalization and toward other forms of help. Teams of medics and social workers took about one-quarter of such calls, sometimes at NYPD invitation. They sent about half of the people in crisis to a hospital, significantly less often than the police do in such cases. The goal in replacing police is to avoid needless violence and arrests in non-violent, non-criminal emergencies.

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NYC's Non-Police Mental Health Pilot Increasing Rate of Those Getting Aid, Data Show

Darlene Rodriguez

July 22, 2021 |

WNBC-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

In its first month as a pilot project in a part of Harlem, New York's Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD) handled one-quarter of 911 calls for mental health crises. Despite fears of danger to the teams of social workers and paramedics, police backup was needed only seven times out of 110 cases. More people accepted help from the non-police teams than in the past from teams of police and paramedics. And that help depended half as often on hospital visits. People got helped on the scene or went to community centers for services. The city plans to expand the program.

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Eugene, Oregon, Police Chief: Sending Unarmed Crisis Specialists On Mental Health Calls Saves Lives

Robin Young Allison Hagan

July 22, 2021 |

WBUR |

Radio Talk Show |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Eugene, Oregon

The police chief in Eugene, Ore., home of the CAHOOTS program, which other communities see as the model for finding alternatives to policing, supports the program because it saves lives and saves the city money. Sending unarmed medics and social workers on calls involving behavioral health problems, mental health crises, and substance-use psychotic episodes automatically de-escalates many situations because of the lack of a police presence.

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How Mental Health First Responders in an Oregon City 'De-escalate' Conflict and Save Lives

Jeff Truesdell

July 15, 2021 |

People |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Eugene, Oregon

CAHOOTS has become a national model because of its uncommon partnership with the Eugene Police Department. The police chief says CAHOOTS' unarmed first responders to mental health crises can de-escalate crises before crimes occur or someone gets hurt. That's the idea behind the decades-old agency that takes calls where police can sometimes cause worse outcomes. The crisis intervention workers and medics treat people on the scene or transport them to places where they can get the help they need. Police are available but rarely needed for safety on those calls.

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St. Paul recruitment program aims to diversify police ranks

James Walsh

July 06, 2021 |

Minneapolis Star Tribune |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, St. Paul, Minnesota

To boost diversity in its ranks as part of its outreach to improve community relations, the St. Paul Police Department created a two-year apprenticeship program that makes law enforcement careers more accessible by clearing the financial and educational barriers that stand in the way. Eight program graduates now serve on the force and two dozen more are about to enter the next police academy. Nearly all are people of color and low-income, and nearly half are women. The program pays a stipend while students work in the community and take classes, with counseling and mentoring services.

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