The New Jersey city is participating in a statewide program to pair civilian responders with police officers on mental health care

By Richard Cowen
nj.com

JERSEY CITY, NJ – Jersey City on Monday became the latest community to join a state program that pairs mental health professionals with police officers who respond to 911 calls from emotionally disturbed people.

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced that Jersey City will participate Arrive together program, the nationwide initiative aimed at de-escalating encounters between police and citizens — and ultimately preventing the use of deadly force.

“ARRIVE Together is a statewide model with a proven track record of improving outcomes for individuals who encounter law enforcement while in need of mental health services, and the implementation of the program gives Jersey City law enforcement officers an important tool to respond “To respond to calls with a mental health element,” Platkin said in a prepared statement. “We are building a safer and more compassionate New Jersey with every community that takes the initiative, and I’m excited that Jersey City will be a part of that.”

With 290,000 residents, Jersey City is the second largest city in the state. In August 2023, Jersey City police killed schizophrenic man Andrew Washington at his home on Randolph Avenue following a standoff.

Body-worn camera footage showed police officers talking to a barricaded Washington for about 30 minutes before kicking in the door and shooting the man, who was holding a knife. Washington’s family then filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Jersey City police.

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“Since its inception, ARRIVE Together has improved New Jersey law enforcement officers’ response to mental health emergencies,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “This model has proven to be a valuable tool in our efforts to quickly and efficiently provide assistance to our residents during times of psychological distress. This program, now running in Jersey City – our state’s second largest city – will continue to make a difference to those in need and save lives.”

ARRIVE Together began in 2021 as the Attorney General’s Office sought to reduce the number of fatal encounters between police and citizens suffering from mental illness or drug-induced psychosis. Police departments in all 21 counties are participating in ARRIVE Together, with Jersey City among the latest major city departments to sign up.

Jersey City Public Safety Director James Shea supported the new approach but warned it would require a coordinated effort.

“We are always willing to explore all possible ways to improve services for people in crisis,” Shea said. “With this in mind, it is critical for the public to understand that this program still requires police officers to respond first and secure the scene before ARRIVE Together staff can begin to engage with an individual in crisis. This ensures the safety of everyone involved, including the person in crisis, social services staff, emergency responders and police officers.”

Jersey City Police will work with mental health professionals at Jersey City Medical Center. The program will initially run two to three days a week but will expand as the medical center adds more staff, the AG’s office said.

Involving mental health professionals in the 911 response is an approach that community activists have called for after a series of high-profile police-involved shootings. In March 2023, Paterson police shot and killed Najee Seabrooks, an anti-violence activist who held police at bay for five hours.

Just two months ago, Fort Lee police killed 25-year-old Victoria Lee after the woman’s family called 911 to report she was in crisis. This response remains under investigation by the Attorney General.

According to the AG’s Office, there have been over 5,000 police operations using the ARRIVE Together model since its inception. They existed fewer arrests and less use of force as part of the program, the AG’s office says.

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