A pilot program in Columbus, Ohio testing the effectiveness of non-police responses to emergency calls has shown initial success in reducing the number of calls requiring police and fire units on the scene, the Associated Press reports.

More than 60% of the calls were resolved without dispatching police and/or fire department personnel to respond to the scene, thanks to assistance from mental health professionals or referrals to other social services, Mayor Andrew Ginther’s office said in a release.

The pilot program, done over 72 hours of operation, demonstrates how impactful non-law enforcement assistance can be, with the responses being assessed by a “triage pod” of paramedics, public health clinicians and dispatchers.  The experiment was developed in response to a national movement to reallocate civic resources to de-escalate emergency calls without using an armed police officer who may not be properly trained in dealing with the situation. 

The program outlined an operation whereby 911 operators would work with the triage pod to identify the most appropriate response to calls that did not require an immediate dispatch of police for an active criminal situation.

“What this program so clearly demonstrates is the need to strengthen and diversify our front-line responses so that police officers can focus on what they were always intended to do: address violent crime and keep our neighborhoods safe,” Ginther said.