Baltimore emergency response system changes could alter who answers thousands of nonviolent 911 calls across the city. Mayor Brandon Scott and Council President Zeke Cohen unveiled the proposal Monday at City Hall, as Baltimore Chronicle reports.
The plan would create a new Department of Neighborhood Safety, or DNS. The proposal was first detailed Monday by CBS News Baltimore.
Baltimore proposes a new Department of Neighborhood Safety
The proposed agency would operate alongside police, firefighters and emergency medical services.
It would absorb the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, known as MONSE. Existing violence prevention programs would continue during the transition.
Scott described the department as another option for residents who call 911 but do not need police.
City officials say Baltimore receives about 22,000 such calls every year. Many involve welfare checks, trespassing, public nuisances or public intoxication.
The planned system would send trained responders to appropriate nonviolent emergencies.
Key elements include:
- alternative responders for selected 911 calls;
- professionals trained in social work or recovery counseling;
- coordination with police, fire and EMS;
- follow-up support for residents after emergencies.
These calls would still be treated as emergency responses. They would not simply become referrals to outside organizations.
How Baltimore 911 calls could change
The proposal builds on a diversion program Baltimore began testing in 2021. Eligible calls can currently involve clinicians, 988 services or co-response teams.
Under DNS, that approach would become a permanent part of the city’s emergency infrastructure.
| Area | Proposed response |
|---|---|
| Violent crime | Police |
| Fire emergency | Fire department |
| Medical emergency | EMS |
| Selected nonviolent crisis | DNS responder |
| Behavioral health needs | Specialized response |
The central idea is to match each call with the service best equipped to handle it.
Cohen said police should concentrate primarily on violent crime instead of being expected to resolve every mental health crisis.
What happens next
Cohen introduced the legislation on September 14 in partnership with Scott’s administration.
Baltimore’s fiscal 2027 budget includes more than $16 million connected to establishing the department. That includes funding for a replacement computer-aided dispatch system.
If lawmakers approve the proposal, Baltimore would also conduct a nationwide search for a DNS executive director.
The change would not eliminate police, fire or EMS responses. Instead, officials want a fourth response option for emergencies where traditional public safety agencies may not be necessary.
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