Baltimore Council Advances New Agency to Handle 911 Calls Without Cost Estimate

The Baltimore City Council voted Monday to advance a proposal creating a new department to handle specific types of 911 calls. The measure passed two near-unanimous votes, clearing the path for a final decision in early November. The plan would establish the Department of Neighborhood Safety to absorb the city’s current diversion efforts and add new staff to respond to emergencies that do not require police presence.

Under the proposal, non-life-threatening calls, such as welfare checks and nuisance reports, would be diverted from police departments. The city intends to manage these calls using teams composed of a social worker and a peer specialist. A peer specialist is defined as an unlicensed individual with relevant life experience. These teams are expected to work at all hours once the program is fully operational.

Mayor Brandon Scott and Council President Zeke Cohen introduced the joint proposal last month. The new department would replace the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement. By moving the office out of the mayor’s direct budget, the council gains additional oversight of the department’s finances.

Councilman Mark Conway cast the lone dissenting vote against the plan. He stated that he supported the intent of the legislation but expressed concern that the bill was rushed. Conway noted that the administration had not produced a budget for the new office. He said, “I fear we’ll trip and fall and saddle the city with expectations we’re not fully prepared to meet.”

The city’s finance department reviewed the bill before committee hearings. A memo from the deputy director of finance indicated the bill could have a potentially large fiscal impact. The total expense will depend on staffing levels and the volume and type of calls the department handles. Currently, the city diverts about 1.5% of 911 calls from police. In Durham, North Carolina, a comparable program diverts 5% of calls.

Scott’s staff said they plan to launch the department using $15 million in restitution funds from settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors. The finance memo noted that these funds are expected to be depleted by 2032. This would create a funding cliff, requiring programs to end or transition to another funding source.

Council President Zeke Cohen said he wants the city to hire a director for the office before assigning a final price tag. He said, “We have done some analyses based on Denver and Durham and some of the other existing systems, but I want to make sure before any number goes out publicly that the person who is going to be tasked with running this entire department is on board first.”

Conway’s colleagues argued that the department was not rushed. Councilwoman Odette Ramos pointed to past hearings on crisis response, noting that the council met several times last year after residents in mental health crises were killed by police. Ramos said, “I don’t feel this has been rushed. This is the cap on all of the work that has been done.” Council Vice President Sharon Green Middleton, the longest-serving member, agreed, stating, “We’ve been trying to bring wrap-around services along for as long as I’ve been on the council.”

In response to Conway’s budget concerns, he stated, “Our job is not to just have ideas and to put them out there. Our job is also managing the budget.” Letitia Dzirasa, Baltimore’s deputy mayor for equity, health and human services, said she expects to send a preliminary budget to the council in the next several weeks. She anticipates the program will be phased in, similar to the Group Violence Reduction Strategy, with certain call types or areas piloted first.