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COLUMBUS, OH – Tonight, Columbus City Council voted to approve Ordinance 2196-2024 to fund a $400,000 engagement contract with Mission Critical Partners, LLC to advance planning for a nonpolice response program.
Mission Critical Partners was selected via a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process which drew five bidders. A committee of representatives from Columbus Public Health, the Department of Public Safety, and City Council evaluated written proposals and interviewed organization representatives. Mission Critical Partners was the highest-rated firm, having completed more than 50 projects for agencies across Ohio.
“Our officers spend 31 weeks in the police academy to train to tackle violent crime, solve investigations, and get guns off the street – and then we expect them to become the first responders to every societal problem, spanning mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness, noise complaints, and neighborhood disputes,” said Council President Hardin. “Any Columbus resident should be able to call 911 and get the right response for their crisis, but that could often mean a nurse, social worker, or peer counselor.”
This research and planning by Mission Critical Partners will include:
- Evaluation of existing programs and how Columbus can improve
- Analyze incoming 911 calls for service to determine additional opportunities for diversion to non-police resources
- Develop a plan for a fully nonpolice response option (e.g., a behavioral health services professional or other trained specialist)
This ordinance is the latest step in the "Reimagining Public Safety" initiative by Columbus City Council in partnership with the Department of Public Safety. They are working with different groups to change how the city handles emergencies. Research shows that in big cities, 21 to 38 percent of 911 calls are not serious emergencies and could be handled by trained community helpers instead of police. Another study found that police often respond to non-urgent calls that aren't about crimes or violence. Because of these findings, new programs are being started across the U.S. to handle crises differently.
Columbus maintains several alternative crisis response programs that embed social workers or clinicians alongside a uniformed officer. However, they are limited in coverage to certain hours and types of crises.
"We're so proud of our alternative crisis response programs and look forward to getting asecond opinion on how they can grow and improve," said Director of Public Safety Kate Pishotti.
"We need an evaluation of our existing alternative services, and hope this process will lay the groundwork for building a nonpolice response program that is fully resourced and integrated into other services," said Stephen David, a social worker and lead organizer with the Columbus Safety Collective. "We thank President Hardin for his continuous stewardship of this process."
The funds come from a $1.2M 2023 operating budget amendment that earmarked funds for the Reimagine Safety fund.
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