WACO, Texas — Waco PD's dispatchers answer more than 5,000 calls each week across McLennan Country. Some of those callers need police, fire, or EMT services.
Many also need mental health help and, until now, dispatchers didn't have many resources.
"We don't have the options or resources to send a mental health professional so when they call in here, we do what we can as the dispatcher to de-escalate the call," 911 Manager Susie Murray told 25 News.
"If it's something we can't de-escalate, we send police."
That is all changing now thanks to a $2 million dollar grant allowing them to start the Heart of Texas Crisis Call Diversion Program.
The police department is partnering with the Heart of Texas Behavorial Health Network to hire professionals to help with those mental health calls.
"When somebody calls into 911, they're asked police, fire or EMS? Behavioral health will now be the fourth one," Stacey Steger, with the HOTBHN, explained.
"So when they call in they'll actually be asked that. The dispatcher will screen them and if it's safe and we can take them, it'll be passed to the behavioral health specialists."
This gives community members a chance to work with professionals and also ensures Waco PD's resources are available for emergencies.
"We have training with suicidal callers but it's not anywhere near a mental health professional where this is their specialty, their training and what they do," Murray said.
"If there's a wreck in town, they need to be at that wreck. If there's a burglary, they need to be there. If it's a behavioral need, we want to be there to offer support," Steger said.
They are hiring right now for those new team members and hope to get this up and running as soon as possible.
