State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

When Cities Replace Police with Social Workers

Route Fifty: In June, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller announced a plan to create a new, civilian-led department to handle 911 calls for people who need help because they are intoxicated, homeless, on drugs or in a mental health crisis. Instead of police responding to these calls, the city wants to create a new agency that will send out social workers, housing counselors, and violence prevention specialists.

"We've placed more and more issues on the plates of officers who are not trained … to be a social worker, or to be an addiction counselor … when they're just answering a call," Keller said. “We should have trained professionals do this, instead of folks with a gun and a badge.”

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