LA tests program to send unarmed civilians instead of cops to people in crisis
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles officials — eager to ease the city’s reliance on police officers for handling nonviolent mental health emergencies — have launched a new pilot program that sends unarmed civilians with training to respond to such calls.
Modeled after a heralded program out of Oregon, city officials said the so-called Unarmed Model of Crisis Response has two teams of mental health practitioners available 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
