TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Police Department and the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay have partnered to launch a crisis intervention dispatch service program. The announcement comes during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

What You Need To Know

  • Tampa Police dispatchers will soon be joined by intervention specialists from the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay to take calls from those experiencing mental health crises

  • Up to 70% of calls into TPD's 911 dispatch center have a behavioral health component

  • The program aims to reduce officer-dispatched calls regarding those experiencing mental health crisis, reduce recidivism of Baker Acts and help connect callers to community resources for additional support

  • If you or a loved one are experiencing thoughts of suicide and other crises, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988

While up to 70 percent of calls into the Tampa Police Department’s 911 dispatch center have a behavioral health component, both TPD and Crisis Center of Tampa Bay recognize most behavioral health calls made to 911 do not require in-person law enforcement intervention.

Tampa Police dispatchers will soon be joined by intervention specialists from the Crisis Center to take calls from those experiencing mental health crises.

“For those calls that truly don’t need an acute response by a law enforcement officer, we’re going to be able again to de-escalate and get them to where they need to go without having law enforcement intervention,” said Clara Reynolds, president and CEO of Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.

“If history is any indicator, 97 percent of the time, we’re going to be able to get them to a place where they’re able to get the resource that they need, have access to them and be fine moving forward without a law enforcement officer ever having to go to their location.”

Calls screened to determine no weapons or public safety risks are involved in needing support for mental health will engage with an intervention specialist.

“Allow the Crisis Center to step in and take a little bit more of that burden off of us and our call load to make sure that the person having a mental health crisis gets served in the best manner,” said Richard Parsons, communications director of the TPD Dispatch Center.

The program aims to reduce officer-dispatched calls regarding those experiencing mental health crisis, reduce recidivism of Baker Acts and help connect callers to community resources for additional support. Intervention specialists are expected to be in place this summer.

If you or a loved one are experiencing thoughts of suicide and other crises, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. For information about community resources, call 211. Call 911 for immediate emergency assistance from the police department, fire department or an ambulance.