TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Jerry Moore, Chief of Police and Steve Powers, City Manager
SUBJECT:
title
Community Policing Work Session Follow Up
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Safe Community; Welcoming and Livable Community.
end
ISSUE:
Mobile crisis intervention program, behavioral health and recruiting
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information Only
body
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this report is to answer Council questions from the September 21, 2020 work session.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
City Council requested information:
• What would be necessary to operate a mobile crisis intervention program in Salem;
• Behavioral health related service contacts with Salem Police Department and community members;
• Recruitment to reflect Salem’s diverse community within SPD.
Mobile Crisis Intervention Program
Salem has a significant number of people who are chronically homeless (49% of unsheltered population vs. 17% nationally and 37% in Oregon). The level of trimorbidity of public, behavioral and substance use concerns is large; often calls for help with this large population are not resolvable through on-site interaction. The Salem area appreciates and needs the current sheltering providers who average approximately 300 beds available per day, with expansion to about 525 beds during warming activations. Over 1,128 persons were identified in our community as without shelter as of June 1, 2020.
While a mobile crisis intervention program would serve all residents and calls for service are not tracked by housing status Eugene’s experience with CAHOOTS is that most calls are for unsheltered residents.
What is the Salem-related CAHOOTS proposal?
The United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley, with the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, developed a mobile response unit proposal (attachment 1), inspired by the Eugene-based CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) program. United Way’s proposal, Community Response United (CRU), meets people at the location where the person in need is located, be it a sidewalk, a camp, a place of business, or other locations.
The United Way notes in Eugene, CAHOOTS is funded by the City through the Eugene Police Department. In Salem, funding is sought by United Way from the City and other community partners to implement the proposal. United Way is inviting area organizations and the City to explore what funding partnerships would be available in Salem.
The United Way offers to sponsor CRU as a consultant to explore Salem’s current providers, identify service delivery weak points, and create a program that is designed to address Salem’s greatest needs. The United Way indicates the precursor to this is to have a fully funded pilot with which to build support. The proposed expense for a CRU pilot is $439,000.
In the CRU model, an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) would be paired with a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) to visit people in distress. CRU would be dispatched through the Willamette Valley Communications Center.
Example situations likely to mobilize the mobile crisis unit include:
• person intoxicated and in public location,
• person experiencing psychosis and disrupting peace,
• person in distress.
What assets can we build upon? What does current mobile crisis outreach look like in Salem?
Salem benefits from an array of public and behavioral health service locations. The Psychiatric Crisis Center and the Salem Hospital Emergency Department operate 24 hours per day. Health clinics have variable hours.
Salem street-outreach teams actively provide resources, service navigation, problem-solving, conflict resolution and relationship building, generally on a scheduled basis. When schedules allow, they will join emergency responders to assist with dynamic situations. Current outreach services are provided through individual volunteers and organizations, including The Arches Project, Be Bold Street Ministries, Church @ the Park, Salem Housing Authority, NW Human Services, and others.
Willamette Valley Communications Center dispatches calls for crisis service to Falck Ambulance, Salem Fire, or Salem Police depending on the circumstances of the call. If the caller’s information indicates a medical response is needed, Falck or Salem Fire is dispatched. If the caller indicates a crime or disturbance is in progress, Salem Police is dispatched. Sometimes, a call requires a police and fire response.
The Salem Police Department’s response can include the Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRT). A MRCT is a police officer paired with a mental health professional. The teams are dispatched to respond directly to active mental health crisis calls. The specially trained officer or deputy work in conjunction with the mental health professional to provide people with the services they need, in addition to attempting to prevent incidents from escalating. Mobile Crisis Response Teams operate in conjunction with both Marion and Polk Counties. Outreach partners are reached regularly for assistance and referral. Salem has two MRCT in Marion County and one in Polk County. Marion County, Polk County, and Woodburn each have one MCRT. The teams will respond regardless of jurisdiction, if available.
What would be needed to implement CRU successfully in Salem? What’s important to note as we consider concepts?
Estimate the costs, revenue strategy, and advocacy agenda for a funded homeless service response system. Those who respond currently to common emergencies find the need to be able to transport people to service locations we do not currently have in Salem. Staff who visit people in distress often report temporary ability to de-escalate situations. A different service resource is often needed to address the person’s needs, whether it be a safe shelter bed, a place to appropriately sober up, or a community-based mental health group home. While temporarily able to help a person, once the team leaves the site, too often the issue can re-escalate.
Staff cite the need to establish:
o More culturally specific services
o Shelter vacancies for outdoor managed camping or “rest stops”
o Low barrier shelters
o Safe vehicle parking program vacancies
o Location to become sober for persons not in a position to access substance use treatment
o Location to safely experience psychosis or other behavioral health crisis
o Expansion of 24/7 available, low-barrier center space for activities such as cellular phone charging, showers, food and other service access
Notable CRU service requirements would include:
• Per Ambulance Service area rules and regulations, CRU cannot transport people with a medical need to the hospital (CRU can transport for voluntary or mandatory psychiatric service to the hospital),
• CRU EMT must operate under a Medical Director with a clear set of protocols,
• All Fire/EMS emergencies encountered by CRU would also require Fire and EMS response. Fire/EMS can request CRU for follow up if the person refuses transport to hospital but needs further assistance i.e. behavioral, substance use treatment, social services. CRU can request Fire/EMS response by activating 9-1-1, provided the CRU initial contact was the result of outreach.
• A detailed deployment plan with clear scope of service for services and the proposed EMT would need to be developed, and should include:
o Deployment strategy, including method of deployment,
o Mission
o Area of operation
o Scope of practice for EMT- Basic role within the CRU and the Ambulance Service Area
o Understanding of Fire/EMS response and responsibilities
Further investment of resources to mobile team outreach only, in advance of establishing additional on-site service resources, may create two unintended consequences:
o unmet expectations of the mobile unit, as callers find that a person remains at a location after mobile unit leaves the interaction to address an additional call for service,
o reduction in momentum for investment in the full continuum necessary for a mobile unit to succeed.
Behavioral Health Related Service Contacts:
How many EDP (Emotionally Disturbed Person) calls does Salem Police respond to?
In 2019 SPD received 2,719 Emotionally Disturbed Person calls for service (coded at dispatch as EDP). Combined with other activity by our officers, the police department can document at least 3,985 incidents related to EDPs.
This incident number is known to be low as there are a variety of calls that do not get coded as EDP even though there is an EDP component. We estimate the number to be low by as much as 25%.
How many were transported to Salem Health?
In 2019, it is estimated that at least 386 individuals were transported by a police officer while in custody. Generally, individuals are taken to Salem Hospital’s Emergency Department.
How many people were taken to receive services somewhere like The ARCHES Project?
Few if any. If we receive a call about an emotionally disturbed person, officers generally have four possible courses of action.
• Determine if a Peace Officer Custody is required. This mean determining if the person is a danger to themselves or others.
• Transport the person to Psychiatric Crisis Center voluntarily.
• Determine if a crime has been committed then follow the protocols as laid out in the Marion County Memorandum of Understanding (attached).
• Deescalate and disengage if none of the above criteria are met.
Transporting someone who does not fit into option 1, 2, or 3 above presents a challenge for officers as they have no mechanism to make the person behave or go somewhere when they do not want to go. It would also be irresponsible for an officer to transport someone who is on the verge of crisis to a community partner that is not equipped to deal with them as that could create more issues for the person or partner agency.
How many people are taken to the Psychiatric Crisis Center (PCC)?
That specific data is not documented, but PCC indicates that Salem Police transports people to PCC daily. For comparison purposes, Mobile Crisis Response Teams transported 296 people to PCC in 2019 and it is believed Salem transports would be much higher.
What is the state program that funds the Behavioral Health Unit?
The funding is from the Oregon Health Authority. We receive the funds from Marion County and Polk County, who apply for and manage the grants.
What amount of time is spent on Emotionally Disturbed Person calls for service?
An EDP call on average takes 58 minutes and that does not include time for documenting the incident. EDP calls usually require two officers. Based on the conservative numbers of calls for service, this amounts to roughly 8,000 hours per year spent on EDP calls. Put another way, this is nearly one officer working these calls for 22 hours out of every day. Again, due to the challenges in gathering more accurate information for these types of calls, this number is an estimate and is most likely very conservative.
Does the average cop on the street like dealing with these issues?
Officers enjoy working on calls where there can be a positive resolution, such as getting a person in crisis to Salem Hospital Emergency Department or the Psychiatric Crisis Center for help. There are complications and limitations placed on officers’ abilities to achieve a positive outcome. Many people are in situations where care would certainly be appropriate, but they are unwilling to go. Examples include a person clearly distressed but not in danger of harming themselves or others and a person unwilling to be transported. Repeat clients who cause multiple calls for assistance and who have conditions that fall into service gaps can be sources of frustration within the current triage and treatment systems.
How many Behavioral Health Unit calls are related to State Hospital releases?
Our partners at Marion County Mental Health inform us that few of the Salem Police Department’s issues with people in crisis are directly related to State Hospital releases. Typically, Marion County Mental Health works to coordinate releases and ensure that clients are returned to their home or where they have support services in place.
How many emotionally disturbed people were arrested?
The Salem Police Department’s preference is not to arrest EDP’s, but a lack of options often requires a criminal response. Of the 3,985 EDP incidents in 2019, 276 were arrested. Of the 276, 220 were transported to jail, thirteen were transported to Salem Hospital for medical treatment, three were taken to PCC, 21 were cited and released, and a Peace Officer Hold, or custody, was placed on nineteen individuals.
Reasons for arrest included individuals with warrants, trespass, and situations where there was a victim of a crime where an arrest was needed, either as mandatory arrest or removal from a scene for safety purposes. For information, 50-60 people enter the Marion County Mental Health Court each year.
What are the possible outcomes from a Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) call?
There are typically four outcomes from a BHU call:
• Peace Officer Custody transported to Salem Hospital Emergency Department
• Voluntary transport to the Psychiatric Crisis Center
• Safety Plan
• Stabilize in place
Because BHU teams have a Qualified Mental Health Professional imbedded in the team, there are options available when they respond that a patrol officer may not have.
Did Behavioral Health Unit or Problem Oriented Policing Team budgets increase?
Technically, they both did. POP’s increase was due to the team being fully formed for this fiscal year. BHU’s budget was increased due to adding the second officer to the Marion County team and associated equipment costs.
No additional police positions were created within the authorized strength of the police department. Officers in BHU are grant supported, and officers in the POP team were reassigned from the gang team.
Recruitment to Reflect Salem’s Diverse Community
What does full outreach look like regarding recruitment? What partners do we need to work with?
The City regularly looks for innovative ideas to recruit new police officers.
In addition to advertising open positions, we have participated in a variety of recruiting events recently. These include local job fairs through the Department of Public Safety Standards & Training and Western Oregon University and hiring and informational events at military bases. Twice a year, we partner with the Portland Police Bureau at career fairs focused on women in law enforcement.
Educating local youth on career law enforcement opportunities is an important aspect of building our workforce. Officers participate in career and skills-capacity presentations targeted to teens through Salem-Keizer Public Schools’ Career Technical Education Center and the Chamber of Commerce’s teen career events. Through these programs we share the various police opportunities and civilian career opportunities in forensics, emergency communications, records management and community relations.
School resource officers support the efforts to engage youth in the Salem middle and high schools. The Salem Police Department’s Cadet Program helps young adults build confidence, leadership and decision-making skills, regardless of their future career choice. Both the Cadet Program and our Community Service Officers are examples of how the department is providing opportunities for advancement to non-traditional candidates.
We advertise in several recruiting magazines and online publications, such as Police One and National Minority Update. The Salem Police Department provides recruiting information through public engagement programs, such as the Citizens Police Academy and the Plática con la Policía (Conversation with the Police) to our Hispanic community.
At the cusp of the pandemic, we launched the first in a series of efforts to have prospective applicants get to know the agency and more about the career of law enforcement. The first event in late January of this year was a recruitment informational meeting hosted at a local pizzeria. The event was billed through social media as an opportunity to meet and speak with officers on a one-on-one. Twenty-five people attended and enjoyed asking a myriad of questions about the job and the hiring process. Most popular was the opportunity for women to speak with female officers about the job and the physical testing standards. Follow up sessions on interview preparation and physical agility workshops for candidates were canceled due to state guidelines to minimize the spread of the outbreak. Candidate preparation workshops done in the past have helped individuals receive information to help them succeed and feel supported through the challenging hiring process.
We are furthering social media strategies through image, video, and live events to advance recruitment efforts. These efforts complement the in-person strategies we started with the recruitment informational meeting strategy.
Law enforcement agencies throughout the nation are struggling with diversifying their police force. The career is not for everyone. Hazards of the job, shift work, and the current tensions in the country are hindrances to many. In Oregon, Salem Police competes with all the other police and sheriff agencies in the state, contributing to the intense competition for applicants. Nonetheless, we must challenge ourselves to expand our story-telling efforts to let the community and prospective candidates know about our agency and expand our skill-building, career opportunities through in-person and new (social) media events. We must enlist the public’s help to further carry forward the message of community service through police careers. We must challenge our officials and community partners to be part of the recruitment efforts. The NAACP and Latino Business Alliance have sponsored or promoted job fairs and will assist by being panelists on interview panels.
The new police station expands the possibilities of our recruitment efforts. Being on the station campus affords us the ability to demonstrate-firsthand-the skills, abilities, and countless professional paths available through a law enforcement career. For example, building tours, demonstrations with the training simulator, and behind-the-scenes aspects of the job will give us the chance to speak directly about the profession, the needed skills, and the hiring process.
How is Eugene Police Department staffed differently than the Salem Police Department?
According to the US Census Bureau in July,2019 Salem’s population was 174,365 and Eugene’s was 172,622, a difference of 1,743.
For fiscal year 2020-2021 Salem Police Department’s approved budget is $48,893,510 with an authorized staff of 190 sworn officers. Eugene Police Department’s approved budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 is approximately $53,428,322 with an authorized staff of 208 officers. Eugene’s budget is approximately $4,534,812 greater with 18 more sworn officers.
Other areas of comparison include;
Patrol Division; Salem has 88 officers,12 Sergeants and 5 Lieutenants assigned to patrol. In comparison, of Eugene Police Department has 81 officers 12 Sergeants and 4 Lieutenants assigned to their Patrol Division.
Downtown Patrol: The Salem Police Department’s Downtown Enforcement Team consists of 1 Sergeant and 4 Officers. Eugene Police Department’s Downtown Enforcement Team consists of 2 Sergeants and 9 Officers.
Detective Division: Both agencies divide their investigators into Person’s Crimes and Property Crimes.
Salem Police Person’s Crimes section has 1 Sergeant and 11 Detectives. The Property Crimes section has 1 Sergeant and 8 Detectives. The Eugene Police Department’s Person’s Crime unit has 2 Sergeants and 11 Detectives, and their Property Crimes section has 2 Sergeants and 9 Detectives. Eugene Police Department has 3 additional investigators in their Detective Division.
The Salem Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit consists of 1 Sergeant and 7 Detectives. Eugene Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit consists of 2 Sergeants and 8 Detectives. Eugene Police Department has two additional officers assigned to their Street Crimes Unit.
The Eugene Police Department does not have a Problem Orientated Policing Unit, nor do they have a Behavior Health Unit. Eugene Police Department does have a dedicated training division made up of 1 Lieutenant, 1 Sergeant and 4 officers.
Eugene Police Department also has a very robust Community Service Officer (CSO) Program that includes 15 employees. Salem Police has 8 Community Service Officers positions.
BACKGROUND:
Background provided regarding mobile crisis unit:
The City Council 2020 Policy Agenda advocates for planning and siting a low barrier shelter, building partnerships to fund and support a sobering center, finding more landlords to serve more people through the Housing Rental Assistance Program in addition to supporting a mobile crisis unit.
The Eugene CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) program has been generous with time and information regarding its model. Salem Housing Authority, Salem Police Department and City Manager’s Office staff visited the program in past years.
Attachments:
1. Crisis Response Unit (CRU) proposal
2. Marion County Memorandum of Understanding