Baltimore Proposes New Department of Neighborhood Safety to Handle Nonviolent 911 Calls

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and City Council President Zeke Cohen announced a proposal Monday to create an agency aimed at improving emergency response and reducing pressure on the city’s 911 system.

The proposed Department of Neighborhood Safety, or DNS, would serve as a branch of Baltimore’s public safety system alongside police, fire and emergency medical services. The agency would also absorb the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, which oversees violence prevention efforts including the Group Violence Reduction Strategy.

That strategy focuses on people considered at high risk of being involved in gun violence, whether as victims or perpetrators, and connects them with services and direct outreach.

Scott said the new department would also provide an alternative response for certain nonviolent 911 calls. According to the mayor, Baltimore receives about 22,000 emergency calls each year involving situations that may not require a police officer, including welfare checks, trespassing, public intoxication and nuisance complaints.

Under the proposal, trained DNS responders could be dispatched to those calls instead of police, fire crews or EMS personnel. Scott said the goal is to send the right type of help while allowing first responders to focus on emergencies that require their expertise.

Cohen said the department would give residents experiencing crises another option for assistance.

The proposal will require approval from the Baltimore City Council before the new department can be established. City officials said the effort is intended to expand Baltimore’s existing violence prevention work while building a more specialized emergency response system.