3 more N.J. towns to pair mental health workers with cops on 911 calls

Cops in three more New Jersey towns will have the backup of mental health professionals when responding to 911 calls for a behavioral health crisis under the expansion of a statewide pilot program designed to reduce fatal police encounters.

University Behavioral Health Care at Rutgers Health , which runs ARRIVE Together of Middlesex County, announced Wednesday that police departments in East Brunswick, South River and Cranbury have joined the statewide initiative designed to deescalate encounters between police and citizens – and ultimately prevent the use of deadly force.

"Mental health professionals bring specialized skills in crisis de-escalation, assessment and therapeutic communication that can significantly reduce tensions," said Sharon Smith-Kemper, program manager at Middlesex County Acute Psychiatric Services, in a statement. "By working alongside police, they can quickly identify symptoms and intervene with techniques to stabilize the individual, often without needing restraint or force."

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Created in December 2021, the ARRIVE Together program pairs a crisis intervention trained officer with a crisis screener to provide on-scene assistance to those experiencing a mental health or behavioral health emergency. The program is meant to reduce the use of force in encounters between law enforcement and people with mental illness or substance use disorder.

As of October, the ARRIVE Together program is active in 209 municipalities, across the state's 21 counties — serving approximately 55% of the state's 9.3 million residents, according to data from the Office of the Attorney General.

Under the program's latest expansion, specially trained police officers in East Brunswick, South River, and Cranbury will be paired with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care mental health screeners to respond to calls in the community. When not actively responding to calls, the teams will visit individuals who might benefit from further assistance, follow up on calls, and connect individuals to resources and services.

Police Chief Frank LoSacco said that when he first heard about the program, "I thought it was absolutely invaluable and I wanted it in East Brunswick."

LoSacco said he believes the program's focus on follow-up and preventative measures will help his department, which the chief said is challenged with a large number of mental health-related calls, many from the same people.

"A lot of towns have frequent fliers, often people who suffer from some type of mental illness. It's not uncommon for them to have the police on speed dial," LoSacco said. "So, the thought behind this is not only the time of crisis but what can be done when someone is not in crisis to make sure they're okay? How can we prevent a situation where the police are called?"

Community activists have been calling for law enforcement to involve mental health professionals in the 911 response for years.

The calls intensified after a series of high-profile fatal encounters with police. In March 2023, Paterson police shot and killed Najee Seabrooks , an anti-violence activist who was in the grips of an apparent mental health episode. Just this summer, Victoria Lee, 25, was shot by a Fort Lee police officer in July as she was having a mental health crisis .

According to state data, mental illness plays a factor in about half of all cases where New Jersey police officers use force.

The ARRIVE Together program has reported 5,000 interactions since its inception nearly three years ago, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Officials report the state has seen fewer arrests and fewer uses of force under the program.

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