The Ann Arbor City Council has approved a pilot program for an unarmed response program.
The Supportive Resources and Outreach Teams (SPROUT) will coordinate with Washtenaw County Community Mental Health. The program will establish a pair of two-person teams of non-sworn, unarmed clinicians to respond to non-emergency calls of residents in crisis.
Police Chief Andre Anderson says they’ll work well with officers who are trained to deal with such circumstances.
“That’s the benefit of having these trained police officers to have with them a clinician that will come and actually work in tandem to provide the individual the appropriate resources.”
Supportive Connections Director Johnathan Laye says the pilot will run until they’re comfortable with the model before it’s expanded.
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