Green Medina

911 is not always the answer.

In particular, you need to ask yourself, How willing am I to get someone killed, arrested, or robbed—by the police themselves—over this incident? Especially if you, or the people involved, or even the people in the general area happen to be people of color.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably heard about the man in NYC who was shot over a $2.90 subway fare (along with an innocent bystander who was shot in the head). Or the recent incident of Sonya Massey, a black woman who was shot in the face for boiling a pot of water.

We’re all well aware of this by now, and the list goes on and on. Alarmingly, police brutality has only gotten worse—not better—since the protests over police brutality in 2020.

However, were you aware that the police steal more property than all burglary and civilian theft combined?

I agree that people need to be safe from violence, especially domestic violence victims. The idea of a number that people can call to keep themselves safe from violent threats is a good one, in theory. The problem is that to a hammer, everything is a nail. And with the institution of policing, there is more of an emphasis on compliance and taking out threats, than de-escalation. Again and again, people who suffer mental illness are attacked or killed by the police, because someone having a mental breakdown may not respond to demands of compliance.

So people need to be aware of the other resources that are out there (or should be in their community). If you are calling the police for a non-violent reason, or a reason that isn’t an emergency, you may want to consider the following alternatives:

1. Community Mediation Services

• Many cities have mediation services that can help resolve conflicts between neighbors, family members, or even strangers. These services focus on peaceful conflict resolution without involving law enforcement. Try typing “mediation services” to see what exists in your community. Again and again, I’ve heard stories of people calling the police on an arguing couple next door, only to hear that the police ended up attacking the couple.

2. Mental Health Crisis Teams

• If someone seems to be having a mental breakdown, you can contact a local mental health crisis response team. These teams are trained to handle situations involving mental health emergencies and can often de-escalate the situation in a way that law enforcement may not be equipped to do.
• National Lifeline (U.S.): 988 (mental health and suicide crisis line)
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• The Trevor Project: For more click here. This is a crisis line for LGBTQ youth.
• Addiction Hotlines: Here is a list of addiction hotlines.

3. Domestic Violence Hotlines and Shelters

• For situations involving domestic violence, contacting a local domestic violence hotline or shelter can provide immediate help, safety planning, and resources without involving law enforcement.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.): 1-800-799-7233

4. Mobile Crisis Units

• Some areas have mobile crisis units that can respond to non-violent crises, including substance abuse or mental health situations, with trained professionals like social workers, paramedics, and counselors.

5. Restorative Justice Programs

• Restorative justice is an alternative to the traditional justice system that focuses on rehabilitation and reconciliation. This approach can be used in cases involving minor offenses or interpersonal disputes.

6. Community Support Networks

• Many communities have local organizations or neighborhood groups that can offer help or intervention in situations where calling the police might escalate tensions. This could include neighborhood watch groups, community-led safety patrols, or volunteer mediation.

7. Non-Emergency Hotlines

• For issues like noise complaints, small disturbances, or other minor situations, using a non-emergency city service number (e.g., 311 in the U.S.) can be an alternative to police involvement.

8. Homeless Outreach Services

• If you encounter someone experiencing homelessness who needs assistance, calling local homeless outreach services or organizations focused on housing and social services can provide direct help without involving law enforcement.

9. Youth Support Services

• For situations involving children or teenagers, there are youth support organizations, crisis lines, or child protective services that can intervene in ways that are focused on the well-being of the young person rather than punishment.

10. Landlord/Building Management

• Much of the above is focused on interpersonal disputes and mental health. However, if it’s something like a noisy neighbor you may also want to evaluate if it’s safe for you to talk to the neighbor about the problem yourself. If you don’t feel certain about your safety, another option is calling the landlord or building manager (if you have one) to have them resolve noise issues with a tenant before escalating it to the police.

These alternatives often provide more specialized, empathetic, and supportive responses to specific issues that don’t necessarily require law enforcement intervention.

If you have any other resources that aren’t mentioned here, please share in the comments!