San Rafael, California, USA
Data Supports Expanded Crisis Response
Project Type:
Community Engagement, Environment, Health and Wellbeing, Infrastructure, Public Safety, Technology
At a Glance
Provides mobile crisis response for approximately 3,000 SAFE calls for service each year, about 8.5% of total calls for service.
Conducted a detailed analysis of past community plans in the Canal District and increased transparency and accountability by reporting to the community on what the City accomplished, the challenges faced, and why some priorities have yet to be addressed.
Partnered with UC Berkeley and local non-profits to model flood risk and map vulnerable facilities, and worked alongside residents to co-create ideas to improve the City’s resilience.
Mapped city assets using LiDAR data, created a citywide asset inventory, and implemented an Asset Management System that helps the City better allocate resources, complete work orders and serve residents.
Not every 911 call requires police, EMS and firefighters. Someone may have minor medical complaints that don’t demand emergency room (ER) care. Others may be unhoused and need connection to shelter or other social services. Some are experiencing a mental health crisis and would benefit from counseling.
A significant number of calls received by 911 dispatchers in San Rafael, California, are requesting support for unhoused individuals, or people who need support for their mental health or substance use, rather than for an active crime or a medical emergency. Arresting or transporting individuals to the ER is often counterproductive and wastes city resources and taxpayer dollars.
In 2023, the San Francisco Bay Area city of about 61,000 people decided to offer a fourth branch of response that goes beyond police, EMS and firefighters. The decision was spurred by a use of force incident in 2022, in which a man was seriously injured by two San Rafael police officers. The incident caused the City to rethink its emergency services and data analysis showed that there was sufficient call volume in San Rafael to support an alternative response team.
“We show up with just a uniform and a radio, so we’re not seen as a threat. That helps people open up, lets us have longer conversations and makes it easier to connect residents to the resources they really need.”
Thus, the City of San Rafael launched a mobile crisis response team called SAFE (“Specialized Assistance for Everyone”). Comprising crisis intervention specialists and EMTs, SAFE responds to a range of non-acute situations. The team may help a resident receive behavioral healthcare support, or help a senior veteran with no family nearby connect to the Veterans Administration.
Another focus of SAFE is proactive outreach to build relationships with residents so that low-level problems don’t turn into urgent issues. A majority (55%) of all calls to SAFE since its launch have involved unhoused individuals, underscoring that the service has helped the City respond promptly and in targeted ways to meet the needs of these residents. The SAFE team’s focus on homelessness-related challenges has also freed up police resources for acute emergencies. Rates of motor vehicle theft, burglaries and arrests have fallen since the program began.
12% reduction in response time for Priority 1 Emergency 911 calls since 2023
As the City considers expanding the service, leaders have dug into data detailing service calls to support adding staff and extending operating hours. They created a heat map of times of day and days of the week with the highest call volumes, broken down by type. With a clear understanding of temporal call trends and residents’ needs, the San Rafael Police Department, which oversees SAFE, can make a data-driven budgeting case to City Council for bringing on new staff with the right specialized training. Most importantly, more residents may be able to receive the healthcare or social services they need.
“We don’t buy into the squeaky wheel syndrome, the idea that whoever is loudest and well-connected can steer decisions to allocate scarce resources in the city. Instead, we look to data to understand if we’re investing in and working on the right things.”
32% reduction in the use of force by the San Rafael Police Department between 2023 and 2024