City of Dayton to launch pilot program of alternative response for 911 calls in early 2022

The city of Dayton is planning an early 2022 launch date for their pilot program of an alternative response for 911 calls for non-emergent and non-violent situations.

In a release, city officials said the Mediation Response Program was a “transformative approach that will provide needed services to residents while allowing police officers to be more available where they are needed.”

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In July, News Center 7 spoke with Dayton City Commissioner Chris Shaw. Shaw voted to approve the system and said he believes it could be transformative for the city.

“We have to have the capacity to deal with issues that are non violent and can be handled through other sources like a mental health provider or a social worker or a combination of both,” Shaw said.

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An alternative response system was recommended by the community engagement working group as part of the city’s police reform efforts.

The updated overview of the alternative response program can be found here.

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