Mental health professionals - not police officers - could soon respond to some 911 calls in Spokane
Mental health professionals in Spokane could soon respond to certain 911 calls without a police officer at their side.
Police and behavioral health experts are working through the logistics of having clinicians answer emergency calls for people in crisis without the accompaniment of an armed police officer.
Spokane Police Department leaders have embraced the change as a way to free up officers’ time to respond to other emergencies, while advocates for police reform believe it will lead to better outcomes for people in need of help.
“This is one of those scenarios where it’s a win-win for everyone,” Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl told The Spokesman-Review.
Read more: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jul/11/mental-health-professionals-not-police-officers-co/
(Spokane Spokesman-Review)
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