City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2020
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Public Safety and Behavioral Health Response Models.
BODY
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ISSUE: Response to City Council's June 23, 2020 request.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1. Direct staff to continue work on policing and behavioral health issues identified in this report, including (a) data outcomes, (b) stakeholder engagement, (c) human services outreach in city facilities, (d) and coordination of the Children and Youth Master Plan Initiatives, and report back with an update to Council in six months;
2. Consider resource needs related to policing and behavioral health issues in upcoming budget and policy discussions, and
3. Allocate $75,000 from the FY 2021 Policing Initiatives contingent to fund the recommended data analyst position for half a year.
BACKGROUND: This memo represents a coordinated City staff response to City Council's June 23, 2020 request for information on 21st Century Public Safety Models in Alexandria. The request sought preliminary findings of new approaches to community safety practices that prioritize unarmed professional's intervention in non-criminal, non-emergency and non-life threatening 911 calls and service calls, with a specific interest in:
* Alternative approaches that prioritize non-law enforcement responses to homelessness, public gatherings, after-hours construction, noise, and other quality of life complaints;
* The creation of a mobile crisis unit trained in crisis prevention and management such as suicide prevention and intervention, domestic disputes (see infra), substance abuse, and other mental wellness calls; and
* Budget alternatives as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget process.
The discussion below provides background on Alexandria's current alternative ...
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