Unarmed 911 teams are reshaping public safety in nearly 100 cities

NPR | By Meg Anderson,

Leila Fadel

Published September 28, 2026 at 4:44 AM EDT

Some communities dispatch mental health clinicians as an alternative to a police response for emergency calls. Researchers consider a program in Durham, North Carolina, to be a success.

Meg Anderson

Meg Anderson is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk.

See stories by Meg Anderson

Leila Fadel

Leila Fadel is a host of Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First.

See stories by Leila Fadel

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