The mayor of Albuquerque has announced the creation of a new department of first responders that will send unarmed social workers, rather than police, to respond to some 911 calls.
Calling it a“first-of-its-kind civilian response department,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said in a press release Monday that the new entity would “restructure thousands of calls on homelessness, addiction, and mental health into the hands of trained professionals,” while keeping police officers focused on core law enforcement work and “reform efforts.”
