A Revolution in Public Safety Is Underway

New York Times

6 days ago

Something important has been happening in American policing over the past few years. A consensus is emerging across the country that the police should not be the only professionals responsible for public safety.
Since the police killing of George Floyd in May of 2020 in Minneapolis, an injustice that led to long overdue conversations about policing in America, it has become clear that police officers cannot be expected to resolve every social issue or solve every dispute or problem, whether it's homelessness, a public health crisis, finding a lost pet or responding to a minor traffic accident.
We have seen in our work that local police leaders have become increasingly vocal about their rank-and-file being asked to do too much. They argue that sending the police to nearly every 911 call is unnecessary, ineffective, wasteful and dangerous. Police resources are strained and 911 callers don't get the help they need. And all too often, someone gets arrested when it was avoidable or injured or killed when unnecessary force was used.
The unarmed Mr. Floyd was killed by a police officer responding to a report that he may have used a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes in a convenience store. In the ensuing confrontation with the police, an officer pressed his knee against Mr. Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, killing him. His widely reported death put a spotlight on data showing that many police killings happened in response to very minor offenses and that many of the victims had behavioral issues that the police acknowledge they lack the expertise to handle.
Over the past five years, a movement of local alternative response programs that don't involve the police has flourished and redefined what the 911 system and municipal emergency response can do. The use of trained alternative responders for situations that don't require the police means safer communities for everyone. The police would focus on serious crimes, and more appropriate responders would deal with mental health crises, fender-benders and quality-of-life issues like noise complaints.
By our count, there are now more than 130 alternative response programs operating across the country. Many of these programs respond to complex situations that require specially trained professionals. They are the sorts of interactions that have proved to escalate risk when an armed officer arrives on the scene. More research is needed, but early published studies show the possibilities. Alternative response teams have the potential to reduce crime, ease the burden on the police and better meet the needs of 911 callers.
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