City of Seattle Mayor videos

Mayor Bruce Harrell announced he will nominate CARE (Community Assisted Response and Engagement) department Acting Chief Amy Smith to serve as department's permanent chief. The two shared updates on the CARE Department’s dual dispatch pilot, including plans to expand beyond the downtown zone and new partnerships focused on evaluation, staffing, and empowering responders to aid those in need.

Since last fall, CARE behavioral health responders have been dispatched to low-acuity, non-violent, non-emergent, and non-medical calls, and once police officers secure the scene, CARE takes over the response and police can leave for higher priority calls.