1. Study: Law Enforcement Officers Strongly Support Mental Health Responders, Crisis Stabilization Centers—And Say That These Programs “Help Them Do Their Jobs More Safely And Effectively.” In a new national survey published by the Alliance for Safety and Justice, researchers surveyed 277 sworn law enforcement officers working across police departments, sheriff’s offices, corrections agencies, probation and parole systems, and federal law enforcement agencies to better understand how frontline officers view modern public safety infrastructure programs like mobile crisis responders, mediation teams, street outreach teams, crisis stabilization centers, and sobering centers.
Researchers found that law enforcement overwhelmingly supports modern public safety infrastructure teams and facilities, and that officers say these programs “help them do their jobs more safely and effectively.” As Columbia, South Carolina Deputy Chief Melron Kelly explained in the report: “This survey shows how important it is to strengthen communities, support officers on the front lines, and advance solutions that create safer outcomes for everyone. This is the direction our profession must continue to move toward.”
The full report is worth your time, but here are some of the topline findings:
- 92% Of Law Enforcement Officers Agree That “Police Departments Are Burdened With A Wide Range Of Social Problems Beyond Crime.” Researchers found that officers “almost unanimously say that their departments are not equipped to handle the social crises that take up so much of their time,” specifically that:
- “Nearly 2 out of 3 officers (64%) reported that their work involved people experiencing a mental health crisis a few times a week,”
- “A majority of law enforcement officers deal with people experiencing homelessness on at least a weekly basis.”
- “One in six deal with suicide attempts on a weekly basis or more frequently, and one out of three deal with people experiencing drug overdoses weekly.”
- “Almost 90% of law enforcement officers agree – and a majority strongly agree – that the needs of people experiencing drug overdoses, homelessness, and mental health crises outstrip what their departments are equipped or able to provide.”
- 83% Agree That “Teams Of Trained Mental Health Clinicians … Would Lighten The Burden On My Department And Allow Us To Focus Our Efforts Where We Are Needed Most.” Researchers found widespread agreement that clinician-led response teams help officers return to other duties more quickly while ensuring people in crisis receive more appropriate care and services. The report found many officers viewed co-response and clinician-led models as improving both officer safety and community outcomes.
- 90% Agree That “Sobering Centers And/Or Crisis Stabilization Centers… Would Reduce Repeated Emergency Calls And Hospital Transfers [] Making Officers’ Work More Efficient And Safer.” Researchers concluded that officers increasingly see stabilization infrastructure as an important alternative to repeated ER visits, jail bookings, and recurring emergency calls tied to behavioral health crises.
- 81% Agree That “Professional Mental Health Workers Trained In De-Escalation Techniques And Crisis Intervention Would Make Their Job Safer And Easier…” The report found that officers overwhelmingly believe clinicians bring specialized crisis-intervention skills that help “make people feel at ease,” improve decision-making during emergencies, and connect people to appropriate treatment instead of the justice system.
- 80% Agree That Experts “Trained In Street Outreach, Mediating Conflicts, Mentoring Youth … [Would] Make Their Job Safer And Easier In The Long Term.” Researchers said officers increasingly view outreach teams as part of a broader “public safety ecosystem” capable of preventing crises from escalating into violence or repeat calls for service. Former Dallas Police Chief Reneé Hall said: “we cannot arrest our way to public safety… We need partnerships.”
2. Study: How Rural Violence Intervention Programs Prevent Violence Outside Major Cities. In a new study published in Behavioral Medicine, researchers from Rutgers University conducted what they describe as “the first study to explore community violence intervention operations in a semi-rural community,” examining the operations of a CVI program serving a three-county rural-suburban area. Researchers used interviews and focus groups with frontline outreach workers, leadership staff, hospital partners, and behavioral health providers to study how violence intervention programs operate in rural settings. The study found that successful rural CVI work depends on strong partnerships across many stakeholder agencies, flexible funding streams, and co-located health and social service infrastructure that can respond as quickly as possible. Here are some of the key findings on what makes rural CVI work:
- Develop Deep, Cross-Sector Partnerships To Reach High-Risk Residents: Researchers found that deep connections to schools, churches, hospitals, and “every police chief, the sheriff, the head of state police” across the region is what made the program work best. The study concluded that “because we don’t have the density of resources that these urban areas have, it is necessary for us to be a lot more aggressive and creative and proactive about leaning on other partners” to develop the right relationships that will help flag a person at risk of violence before it happens.
- Shifting Focus Between Regional Hot Spots And Social Media-Fueled Conflicts. The study found that the program used “an all-hands-on-deck, real-time approach that modifies its strategies in reaction to emerging trends,” including redirecting outreach resources after “a viral social media video… encouraged local gang recruitment” and monitoring “violence trends and community sentiment” to anticipate conflicts before they escalated in neighborhood settings. Rural outreach teams often work across “wide geographic coverage areas,” requiring intervention workers to understand “different group dynamics influenced by physical distance and social media” while maintaining relationships with community leaders across multiple jurisdictions.
- Rural Communities Often Lack Infrastructure, Forcing Outreach Teams To Fill Major Service Gaps. The study found that many semi-rural communities face “a lack of reliable transportation and accessible and emergency housing,” while outreach teams described areas where “there are more prisons than there are parks.” Researchers concluded that effective violence prevention requires “resource hubs and community centers,” “co-locating social services and healthcare,” and “flexible funding structures” that allow community organizations to respond quickly to crises and connect residents to long-term support.
Momentum For CVI Programs Around The Country:
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Launches New “Peacekeepers Institute” To Provide Professional Development, Unify Violence Interrupter Efforts Across The City. For the Philadelphia Tribune, Sherry Stone reports that Philadelphia has launched a new city-backed “Peacekeepers Institute,” bringing together violence interrupters, outreach workers, and public health partners through an eight-week training and collaboration program designed to “unify their efforts, share best practices and strengthen capacity.” Public Safety Director Adam Geer said the city views the effort as part of a “holistic approach to community safety,” and that increased coordination between groups will strengthen Philadelphia’s violence prevention ecosystem: “You take one stick, it’s easy to snap… But when you bind many sticks together, it becomes very difficult to break.”
- Birmingham, Alabama, Expands CVI Program With Development Of Youth Intervention And Family Stabilization Programs. For the Birmingham Times, Sym Posey reports that the City of Birmingham awarded $200,000 in micro-grants to 14 organizations providing mentorship, workforce training, educational support, life coaching, housing stability, and other “wraparound services” for at-risk youth and families. Officials said the city’s broader violence intervention initiative has already contributed to an “85% reduction in youth charged with murder” and a “71% drop in youth homicide victims” among targeted youth populations.
- In Memphis, Tennessee, “Gun Violence Is Down… [The CVI Team] Helped Make That Happen.” For WREG, Jessica Gertler reports on Memphis leaders expanding collaboration between violence intervention groups, housing providers, and workforce programs as part of the city’s broader gun violence reduction strategy. City leaders said outreach workers are helping identify individuals most at risk of violence, intervene after shootings to prevent retaliation, and connect residents to “wrap-around services” and long-term support, which helped lead to a “26% decrease in murders” and a “22% decrease in aggravated assaults” last year.
3. Report: Civilian Traffic Responders, Repair Voucher Programs Could Help Reduce Burden On Police Around Traffic Enforcement. A new report from researchers at the NYU School of Law examines evidence-based strategies for improving roadway safety while reducing overreliance on traditional police traffic enforcement. While the report broadly focuses on roadway safety, municipal finance, and infrastructure design, one section offers several alternative-response models that cities and counties could use to reduce the burden on law enforcement by shifting low-level traffic responsibilities to civilian responders and non-police systems. The researchers find that many communities are “wasting police resources on low-efficacy activities,” noting that officers in some jurisdictions spend tens of thousands of hours on traffic stops that produce “no enforcement action or discovery of contraband or evidence,” and that civilian traffic response teams, repair-voucher programs, and targeted roadway safety strategies could be part of a larger strategy to keep roads safe while allowing officers to focus on higher-priority calls for service. Here are some of the teams and programs that the researchers highlight that could reduce strain on law enforcement while also providing faster response times to motorists:
- Civilian Traffic Responders For Nonviolent, Low-Level Traffic Incidents. The report highlights emerging “civilian enforcement” models where non-police personnel handle certain traffic-related issues that “barely have an impact on roadway safety,” allowing departments to focus sworn officers on dangerous driving, violent crime, and emergency calls. Researchers said communities are increasingly exploring alternatives for handling equipment violations, parking issues, crash documentation, and other low-risk traffic matters without requiring armed officers.
- Vehicle Repair Voucher Programs. Researchers highlighted the “Lights On!” program in Twin Cities, Minnesota, which replaced tickets for broken headlights and similar equipment issues with free repair vouchers that drivers can redeem at participating auto shops. The report notes that some departments now “mail the vouchers instead, so no stop takes place,” while others distribute them during community events. Researchers found that “one in five people surveyed said they would have been ‘unlikely’ or ‘very unlikely’ to repair their equipment without a voucher,” while police agencies supported the program as “a way to build community relationships, achieve safety, and help the people who need it most.”
- Refocusing On Dangerous Driving, Not Administrative Violations. The report found that many agencies spend significant time on traffic stops unrelated to dangerous driving, even though “speeding and not wearing a seatbelt pose far greater safety risks.” Researchers argued that departments should prioritize responses to impaired driving, reckless driving, and high-crash corridors while reducing enforcement activity tied to equipment issues and paperwork violations that consume officer time but have limited roadway safety benefits.