A pilot program that sends a non-police team to some emergency calls is entering its final stage, but officials say there’s enough need to make it permanent.
Cincinnati's Alternative Response to Crisis Program launched six months ago. That's where a behavioral health specialist and a paramedic are sent to respond to calls like trespassing and mental health and welfare checks.
Trespassing has been the most common call so far, says Bill Vedra, director of the Emergency Communications Center.
"Often those calls are about people experiencing homelessness and the caller simply doesn't want them in the space that they're in," he says. "And so while — you know, looking at it black and white — it could be a law enforcement issue, and that's how it's been handled historically, that's not what that person needs to resolve that situation."
Officials say the pilot program has saved more than 300 hours of police officer time. A new public dashboard has been added to Cincy Insights to track the program as it continues.
The ARC team works 40 hours a week, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Vedra says that covers about 10% of calls eligible for a program response.
"We could have one team working 24 hours a day — or at least an expanded number of hours — seven days a week, and they would have plenty to do," he says. "When it comes to the question of if we were to have multiple teams on duty, I think that needs a deeper look."
Cincinnati City Council has extended the pilot through the end of June using funds from the carryover budget. Vedra says he’ll request ongoing funding during the budget process this summer. At that time, Council could choose to fund it as a permanent program.
