Some 911 calls in New York City related to mental health issues will be diverted to social workers rather than police in an initiative to reduce the role of law enforcement, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
Under the current protocol, New York Police Department (NYPD) officers and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers are the default first responders to 911 calls reporting individuals experiencing mental distress, regardless of whether violence takes place, or whether a crime is involved. In the pilot program announced by de Blasio on Nov. 10, such calls will mostly be answered by mental health experts and social workers trained to handle such crises, with police officers included only in cases where there’s a clear threat of violence.
