For The Columbus Dispatch, Cole Behrens writes that the city’s “911 Right Response Unit”, which deploys social workers and paramedics to mental health calls for service, “took 1,300 calls, a third of which didn’t require any police response” in its first year of operation and “saved police hundreds of hours of manpower.” And here’s Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther explaining the power of the Right Response Unit:
“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 … 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.”