New York City’s New Mayor Considers Replacing Police with Social Workers for 911 Calls
New York City’s newly elected Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, is proposing a significant shift in how the city responds to certain 911 calls. His plan involves deploying social workers instead of police officers in specific situations, raising questions about public safety and the proper role of law enforcement.
The Mayor-elect envisions incorporating this new approach into a proposed Department of Community Safety (DCS), backed by a substantial $1.1 billion investment. According to his campaign, the DCS aims to “fill the gaps” in existing services by taking a “public health approach to safety,” focusing on violence prevention.
At the heart of this proposal is an expansion of the existing Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD). B-HEARD, launched in 2021, currently operates only in select neighborhoods, dispatching teams composed of firefighters, EMTs, and a single social worker to certain 911 calls.
However, an audit of the B-HEARD pilot program has cast doubt on its effectiveness. The city controller’s report revealed that over 60% of incoming calls were deemed ineligible for a B-HEARD response. Furthermore, even among eligible calls, 35% did not receive service from the division. The reasons for these missed responses remain unclear because the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health doesn’t track this data.
Between 2022 and 2024, B-HEARD received 98,291 calls, but only responded to 24,071, a mere 25% of the total.
Mayor-elect Mamdani aims to revamp B-HEARD by adding a peer counselor to each team, emphasizing “trauma-informed care,” and expanding the program citywide, with increased resources for high-need neighborhoods. This expansion represents a significant funding increase.
Critics have voiced serious concerns about the potential consequences of this plan. They argue that removing law enforcement from certain 911 calls could endanger both the public and first responders.
John Macari, a retired NYPD lieutenant and host of the “Finest Unfiltered” podcast, calls Mamdani’s plan “reckless and dangerous.” He questions the safety of determining the need for law enforcement intervention over the phone, emphasizing the difficulty of assessing threat levels remotely.
Macari further argues that the proposal appears to lack input from dispatchers, first responders, and families affected by mental illness, potentially straining an already overburdened system.
This isn’t the first time Mayor-elect Mamdani’s views on law enforcement have come under scrutiny. In the past, he advocated for defunding the NYPD, reflecting a broader debate about the role and funding of police departments in urban areas.
Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD sergeant and criminal justice professor, describes the proposal as “probably the worst idea I’ve heard of in a long time.” He raises concerns about the potential for misjudgment by dispatchers and the city’s liability in cases where the wrong decision leads to harm.
The debate over Mayor-elect Mamdani’s plan highlights a fundamental difference in approach to public safety. While proponents emphasize the need for compassionate, community-based solutions, critics prioritize the role of law enforcement in maintaining order and protecting citizens. The new mayor’s approach could represent a risky gamble with public safety.
