Survey: Michigan local leaders' views on policing co-response and alternative response teams
Most of Michigan's county sheriffs and local police chiefs support some type of alternative or hybrid approach for responding to 911 calls beyond traditional law enforcement officers.
However, a majority of them believe it would be difficult to implement these kinds of programs in their communities.
Those are among the key findings from the latest installment of the Michigan Public Policy Survey conducted in spring 2024 by University of Michigan's Center for Local, State and Urban Policy. The statewide survey asked both law enforcement and local government officials about their thoughts on approaches to policing that might involve others, such as mental health professionals or trained social workers.
An increasing number of communities across the state are exploring different approaches to traditional 911 response. The study notes more than 100 local alternative crisis response units in operation nationwide-including Detroit, which received roughly 16,000 mental health calls last year.
Advocates say incorporating nonlaw enforcement professionals can help in calls involving substance abuse, domestic disputes and wellness checks, while allowing police officers to prioritize more urgent or violent emergencies.
The survey found support varied depending on approach, yet it was highest for one in which a response team incorporated other professionals while being led by law enforcement. Support was lower for alternative response teams led by other local government departments or independent community groups, but still higher than outright opposition to alternative response approaches.
More than 80% of sheriffs and police chiefs as well as more than 50% of local government leaders support at least one of these types of alternative response programs. Still, a slight majority of all believe it would be difficult to implement such an approach in their community, citing funding and staffing concerns as well as the safety of civilian responders.
"Michigan sheriffs and police chiefs express broad support for co-response and alternative response programs in their communities even though most think they would be hard to implement," said Debra Horner, the survey's senior program manager.
"Statewide, their agencies are facing severe staffing and workload challenges, and many, especially in larger jurisdictions, are also seeing a volume of 911 calls for police that do not actually require law enforcement attention. It makes sense to look to mental health professionals to partner with them in crisis response."
The Michigan Public Policy Survey has been conducted since 2009 by CLOSUP at U-M's Ford School of Public Policy. Respondents returning surveys between April-June 2024 include county, city, township and village officials from 1,307 jurisdictions across the state, as well as 54 county sheriffs, 234 chiefs of police or directors of public safety, and 55 elected county prosecutors.
The spring 2024 wave of the survey program was funded by a grant from The Joyce Foundation.
