In Los Angeles, when residents encounter situations requiring urgent assistance — particularly those involving individuals in mental health crises — traditional first responders such as firefighters or armed police officers are typically dispatched.
However, a recent report indicates that a promising alternative has been trialed.
Over the past year, the city has been piloting a program that sends specially trained civilian responders who do not carry firearms to specific calls for help.
Released earlier this month, the report shared encouraging preliminary findings.
The report highlights the effectiveness of unarmed crisis responders in managing non-violent and non-urgent calls, revealing that they tend to de-escalate situations and address critical mental health emergencies with a focus on safety and compassion.
By employing these civilian teams, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) can redirect their attention to traditional law enforcement efforts, further optimizing police resources.
The ongoing program features pairs of licensed clinicians, social workers, community workers, and therapists who are available around the clock, seven days a week.
Within the first year of operation, these responders attended to over 6,700 calls, primarily focusing on welfare checks, public intoxication, and incidents of indecent exposure.
Although this volume represents only a small fraction of the LAPD’s total calls — approximately 40 per day — the report suggests significant time savings, estimating nearly 7,000 hours of patrol time freed up for police officers.
This is especially crucial as the LAPD faces challenges in maintaining adequate staffing levels, with officials indicating that similar programs may play a more significant role moving forward.
While the report does not evaluate the impact of these teams on low-level crime rates, there is hope that such initiatives will enhance city safety over time.
These outreach workers do not just respond to calls; they also conduct follow-up visits when necessary, offering specialized services such as mental health treatment and drug rehabilitation for those willing to accept help.
The initiative, referred to as the Unarmed Model of Crisis Response, is one of two programs implemented by city officials, the second being the CIRCLE program, which operates from the mayor’s office and has its own call center dedicated to specific service areas.
Critics had raised concerns regarding the potential ineffectiveness of unarmed civilians in handling encounters with potentially volatile subjects.
Nonetheless, data presented in the recent report indicates that fewer than 4.1% of the calls required police backup.
These instances typically involved individuals requesting officer presence or those found to possess weapons.
As advocates prepare for foreseen cuts to federal spending that may impact social safety nets, the sustainability and scalability of Los Angeles’s crisis response program, along with those nationwide, come into question.
More than half of the emergency calls handled by the unarmed responders involve some kind of disturbance, with reports of prowlers or trespassers being the next most common call type.
On average, the teams take around 28 minutes to respond to a call, spending roughly 25 minutes at the scene thereafter.
A notable incident involved a team dispatching to an apartment where a woman, listed as “Liz” in the report, was exhibiting erratic behavior.
Upon arrival, the responders discovered her door ajar.
She welcomed them into her home, where evidence pointed to a possible overdose and a gas stove that had been left on.
The team promptly turned off the burners, ventilated the apartment by opening windows, and stayed with Liz until firefighters arrived.
Ultimately, they managed to persuade her to seek medical evaluation at a hospital.
It is important to note that these civilian responder teams do not address calls involving weapons, violence, or urgent medical needs, nor do they respond to situations where minors are present or in cases involving three or more people.
Despite training initiatives and new non-lethal equipment intended to support officers in such situations, many in the LAPD acknowledge that dealing with mental health emergencies is outside their primary expertise.
LAPD leadership has reiterated their support for the unarmed response program while advising caution, as any situation may quickly escalate.
Initially, this program was introduced in three police divisions across the city: Devonshire, Wilshire, and Southeast, but has since expanded to include West L.A., Olympic, and West Valley divisions.
Launched in March 2024, this program emerged amidst public outcry over the city’s approach to homelessness, mental health, and substance abuse issues.
Criticism intensified following several police shootings involving individuals in crisis situations, making community leaders demand more innovative solutions.
According to a Times analysis, in 2025, LAPD officers shot 27 individuals, with at least one-third of those cases involving people undergoing behavioral crises.
Efforts to reduce reliance on armed police in emergency situations have gained traction in recent years, especially following the national movement aimed at reforming law enforcement funding after the murder of George Floyd.
Research indicates over 100 similar programs have started up across the United States in recent times.
Despite showcasing early promise, city-led initiatives in Los Angeles have faced hurdles as they seek to expand.
For instance, the Los Angeles Fire Department discontinued its use of psychiatric mobile response teams due to a lack of demonstrable results in freeing up first responders or improving hospital wait times.
Another proposal, requesting unarmed Transportation Department personnel to conduct traffic stops instead of police officers, remains under discussion.
Nevertheless, proponents of ongoing initiatives express cautious optimism about the potential for growth and refinement.
City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez commented on the data, asserting that care-first approaches are effective — enhancing safety, reducing costs, and curtailing liabilities that strain the budget annually.
Representing neighborhoods on the city’s Eastside and co-chairing a council committee focused on unarmed responses, Hernandez emphasized that this is a chance for Los Angeles to broaden its public safety framework and save lives while investing in care rather than harm.
Meanwhile, Godfrey Plata, deputy director of the nonprofit organization LA Forward, expressed satisfaction with the program’s development and the City Council’s readiness to increase funding despite budget difficulties.
As the World Cup and Olympic Games approach, Plata emphasized the necessity for the city to seek and implement protective measures for both residents and the expected influx of tourists.
“This is not just a cost-saving initiative; it is fundamentally a life-saving one,” Plata stated.
He concluded that it would be beneficial for the system to be operationally robust before the major events to absorb potential demands placed on emergency response resources.
image source from：latimes
