Despite the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD) joining the state’s mental health response program, ARRIVE Together, “which pairs officers with mental health professionals to respond to mental health-related calls,” the Jersey City Times reports that JCPD officers are still using force when responding to these incidents. While the average number of mental health-related use-of-force incidents have decreased per quarter, there were still 50 incidents in 2025 alone. Alternative responder approaches may be more effective than more officer training. Charlotte Resing, CPE’s Government Affairs Manager, explains why:
But two other experts in policing said while training can help officers navigate situations involving mental health, it may not be enough. Charlotte Resing, government affairs manager at the Center for Policing Equity, said alternative responders — people coming to the scene without a gun and not in uniform — tend to be most effective in de-escalating mental health crises.
“Having training to know how to de-escalate with people having mental health emergencies is helpful, but the most effective thing, really, is having someone who’s not an officer show up to intervene,” she said.
Read the full article on the Jersey City Times’ website (subscription may be required).