When local officials first opened the Center for Diversion and Services, they touted its potential to divert nearly 15,000 bookings each year that would otherwise enter Fulton County jails or police custody at Grady Memorial Hospital’s psychiatric unit. “This more community-based approach is essential for creating a more effective and compassionate public safety ecosystem,” Atlanta […]
Policing Alternatives and Diversion
Posted inCriminal Justice, Mental Health
New Atlanta Diversion Center Offers a Different Vision of Public Safety
Atlanta and Fulton County officials on Monday took a major step toward reducing local arrests with the launch of a facility intended to serve people experiencing behavioral and mental health issues. The Center for Diversion and Services is a rehabilitative hub open around the clock, seven days a week, where law-enforcement officers and community response […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Should I Call 311 or 911?
Atlanta’s E911 system has faced public scrutiny in recent years for long wait times, but dialing 911 is still the quickest way to get the police or fire department dispatched to your location. While hiring more dispatchers is one part of the solution, the city has also said that non-emergency calls coming to 911 contributed […]