Phoenix’s emergency response system discriminates against people with behavioral health disabilities
“The PhxPD 911 call center routinely fails to identify when callers need help with behavioral health issues. As a consequence, call-takers default to sending regular patrol officers, even though they have options to transfer the caller to clinical specialists or to send a specially trained team,” according to the DOJ report. U.S. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said this can lead to unnecessary harm to the community. “The hair-trigger tendency of Phoenix police to use indiscriminate, overwhelming force is both pronounced and harmful,” Clarke said. The DOJ report also stated that Phoenix doesn’t have an effective system for identifying frequent callers with behavioral health needs.
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