Since 2022, the city of Durham, North Carolina, has utilized the HEART program to divert non-violent 911 calls to unarmed specialists. This initiative has handled over 25,000 incidents involving homelessness and mental health crises to reduce police arrests.
How 25,000 calls shifted Durham's emergency response
The Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Team, or HEART, represents a significant departure from traditional policing. According to the report, the program has managed more than 25,000 calls since its 2022 inception, sending mental health clinicians and peer support specialists to handle situations involving homelessness and mental health crises. This move is part of a broader national trend that accelerated after the 2020 killing of George Floyd, when only six such programs existed across the United States.
The Durham Community Safety Department oversees the initiative, with Director Ryan Smith arguing that the program is a success whenever a social worker can achieve the same result as a law enforcement officer. To ensure comprehensive coverage, the Durham Community Safety Department employs a clinician within the city's 911 call center and maintains a co-response team that pairs clinicians with patrolling police officers.
The role of peer specialists like Rob Crisp
The efficacy of the HEART program often relies on shared lived experience rather than legal authority. in one instance reported by the source, peer support specialist Rob Crisp—who has personally struggled with drug addiction—and clinician Allie Craft responded to a call regarding a trespasser. Rather than using force or threats of arrest, Rob Crisp used his own history of instability to build rapport with a man who was protective of his belongings.
By providing basic necessities such as bottled water, snacks, and hygiene kits, the HEART team successfully convinced the individual to move his belongings off a business property. This approach emphasizes de-escalation over incarceration, focusing on immediate conflict resolution through empathy and material support rather than the application of law enforcement tactics.
Patrice Andrews and the struggle for police buy-in
Integrating unarmed responders into a system built on armed authority required navigating significant internal friction.. Former Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews noted that officers initially feared they would be forced to protect unarmed HEART responders who lacked tactical training. Furthermore, some officers viewed the initiative through a political lens, perceiving it as an "ultra-liberal" move that undermined support for police.
To bridge this gap, the city integrated HEART and police on the same radio dispatch channel. As Patrice Andrews explained, this allowed officers to see the unarmed responders as a "fourth and equal wing" of emergency services, alongside fire and EMS.. This operational transparency helped the police force accept the Durham Community Safety Department as a legitimate part of the public safety net.
What Duke University and the Research Triangle Institute found
Quantitative data suggests that the HEART program is altering how the public interacts with emergency services. research from Duke University indicates that 911 call volumes have actually increased, which analysts suggest is a sign of growing community trust in the response system. additionally, a study by the Research Triangle Institute found that the program is associated with a decrease in arrests and that police officers rarely need to be called back for backup.
These findings mirror results from other cities,such as Denver, where an evaluation found that alternative response programs reduced reports of certain crimes by more than one-third. These metrics suggest that diverting non-violent calls not only assists those in crisis but also frees up police resources for more serious criminal investigations.
The gap between Denver's crime drops and fatal shooting risks
Despite the success in Durham and Denver, critical questions remain regarding the scalability and safety of unarmed response. The source notes that very few of these programs nationwide have undergone rigorous study, leaving a gap in the evidence base.. Most concerning are reports from other cities where fatal police shootings have occurred during mental health crises , raising questions about whether alternative programs are answering enough calls to truly prevent tragedy.
It remains unclear if the Durham HEART program has a specific threshold for when a call is deemed "too dangerous" for unarmed responders, or how the city intends to fund the program long-term as call volumes grow. While the report highlights the success of the Durham Community Safety Department, it does not provide data on the long-term housing or clinical outcomes for the individuals assisted by the HEART team.
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