I don't think this would work as well in cities like San Francisco and Seattle....
We should have more tools than just the cops.
None of that is to say we shouldn't have other options, just that there are valid reasons to involve cops in some of these situations.
> Dispatching mental health specialists instead of police officers to substance abuse and nonviolent emergencies sharply lowered low-level crime in Denver, according to a study published Wednesday in Science Advances.
> The Support Team Assistance Response, or STAR, program, which uses a mental health crisis interventionist and a paramedic to respond to nonviolent 911 calls, showed a 34 percent reduction in crime for offenses such as trespassing and public disorder, according to the study conducted by a Stanford University professor and researcher.
> Of the 748 incidents to which clinicians and paramedics responded, police assistance was never needed, according to the study.
The elephant in the room is maintaining stereotypes about the violence of the mentally ill that don't have any reference to statistics. Usually followed with a story about being yelled at by a homeless person once.
From the sf.gov link:
Our street crises teams have the unique expertise to respond to people in crisis and de-escalate disruptions in the community. We avoid unnecessary use of police and costly hospital stays, and address the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness.