In 2018, Minneapolis city leaders created a working group to explore alternative responses to 911 calls.
In 2021, the City of Minneapolis Neighborhood Safety Department contracted with Canopy Roots, a local, Black-owned mental health service provider, to pilot the Behavioral Crisis Response (BCR) team. BCR now operates citywide and responds to 911 calls related to mental or behavioral health, offering crisis intervention, counseling, and referrals to support services.
In 2024, the GPL began working with Minneapolis through our Alternative 911 Emergency Response Implementation Cohort to support the program’s capacity to measure and act on data related to program outputs, such as call outcomes.
How the GPL is Supporting:
Identifying and prioritizing the most important metrics to track and which entities will track them.
Implementing adjustments to data collection and reporting processes to more effectively measure the impact of the BCR, including leading workshops and trainings and revising data protocols.
Photo courtesy of the City of Minneapolis.
I’m honored that the City of Minneapolis has been selected for this cohort. I believe our participation will help make a difference in the efficiency of our response and support our efforts to improve the safety of our city. Behavioral response tools and services delivered by community partner Canopy Roots provide direct support to people in crisis, allowing the city’s 911 staff to focus on imminent, life-threatening emergencies and alleviating pressure on the police and fire departments. We are working to build and deploy the right resources at the right time in the right situation, and the GPL's assistance will help us on that path.Toddrick Barnette
Community Safety Commissioner, City of Minneapolis
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Learn more about our work on strengthening alternative 911 emergency response.
I’m honored that the City of Minneapolis has been selected for this cohort. I believe our participation will help make a difference in the efficiency of our response and support our efforts to improve the safety of our city. Behavioral response tools and services delivered by community partner Canopy Roots provide direct support to people in crisis, allowing the city’s 911 staff to focus on imminent, life-threatening emergencies and alleviating pressure on the police and fire departments. We are working to build and deploy the right resources at the right time in the right situation, and the GPL's assistance will help us on that path.Toddrick Barnette