Title
Resolution to Approve Unarmed Response Program through Supportive Connections and Approve the Addition of 4.0 Full Time Equivalent Positions (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
Unarmed response is a community-based crisis intervention model in which non-sworn, unarmed clinicians respond to non-emergency, low-risk calls and engage individuals directly in the field for services that do not require a police presence. In addition to responding to calls, unarmed response teams are proactively present in the community, building relationships, identifying individuals who may benefit from support, and connecting residents to stabilizing services before a crisis occurs. This approach prioritizes de-escalation, stabilization, and connection to services, ensuring individuals receive timely support from trained behavioral-health professionals rather than law enforcement when a clinical or social-service response is more appropriate.
To determine how an unarmed response model could be effectively implemented in Ann Arbor, the City Administrator convened a team to evaluate national best practices. This work included visiting multiple unarmed response programs, observing operations on site, and reviewing different staffing, dispatch, and service-delivery structures used in other communities. The Chief of Police also completed a ride-along with the co-response teams which included the Washtenaw County Co-Response Unit (CRU), providing additional insight into best practices that comport with local operations and service in the field.
Through this evaluation process, the City refined its approach to reinforce a fully unarmed, civilian-led model, separate from law enforcement. The City recognizes that broader societal impacts and historical harms influence how individuals experience and engage with public safety systems, and that law enforcement may not always be the most appropriate responder for certain calls where stabilization, support, or service connection are the primary...
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