City Leaders Showcase Right Response Unit’s Successful Inaugural Year
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther
today joined city and community leaders to highlight the successful first year
of the Right Response Unit (RRU), which imbeds social workers and clinicians in
9-1-1 dispatch to provide holistic emergency responses to individuals in crisis.
By connecting callers with the right resources within the right amount of time,
RRU expands access to mental health support and social services while enabling
police to focus more of their time on fighting violent crime.
“One of the lessons we’ve
taken to heart in recent years is that we can’t simply police our way beyond
the challenges we are facing,” said Mayor Ginther. “This moment requires a more
holistic approach that also addresses the root causes of violence and hardship.
The Right Response Unit is central to this comprehensive strategy and is making
great strides in supporting our most vulnerable residents and improving community
safety.”
During its first year of
implementation, the Right Response Unit triaged nearly 1,300 calls originally
received by 9-1-1 dispatch. Approximately one-third of calls for service did
not require any police response, saving officers more than 500 hours. Zero
calls involved the use of force. Additionally:
- Over 25% of callers were connected to a local mental
health provider.
- Only 12 calls resulted in an arrest. Those arrests
were unrelated to mental health crisis.
- 9-1-1 dispatchers are now better equipped to de-escalate
and communicate with residents in crisis, improving their ability to manage
their own occupational stress.
The RRU currently operates
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Plans are underway to hire
additional RRU staff and expand its hours of operation until midnight beginning
this fall.