Baltimore Proposed $16.8 Million Safety Agency
Officials introduced legislation to create a department handling nonviolent 911 calls.
Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Baltimore leaders have unveiled plans for a $16.8 million Department of Neighborhood Safety designed to manage nonviolent emergency calls. The initiative aims to redirect thousands of annual 911 requests away from police towards specialized civilian responders.
Why it matters
The proposed agency seeks to satisfy a federal consent decree requirement for 24/7 alternative emergency responses in Baltimore. By consolidating safety functions, the city hopes to streamline resources and provide more appropriate care for citizens.
The proposed legislation for the new agency is currently pending after being introduced on September 20, 2026. The City Council is expected to vote on the bill on October 26, 2026.
The players
Baltimore City Council
This legislative body is responsible for reviewing and voting on the proposed ordinances governing municipal operations and public safety.
Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement
This current city office will be fully incorporated into the structure of the new Department of Neighborhood Safety.
The details
Dispatchers will use a new $12.4 million Computer-Aided Dispatch system to triage the 22,000 nonviolent calls Baltimore receives annually. The department will incorporate the existing Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement to improve current response times, which average 83 minutes for mobile crisis teams.
Timeline
September 20, 2026: Legislation for the new agency is introduced.
September 21, 2026: The ordinance is formally presented at a City Council meeting.
October 14, 2026: A public hearing is scheduled for the ordinance.
October 26, 2026: The City Council is expected to approve the bill.
October 27, 2026: The mayor is expected to sign the legislation into law.
Legal Context
This legislation follows a growing trend of municipal departments creating alternative response models to meet federal consent decree mandates. Similar efforts are being tested in jurisdictions across the country to reduce police involvement in nonviolent emergency service calls.
Residents should expect a shift in how nonviolent emergencies are handled as the new dispatch system comes online. This change is designed to prioritize specialized clinical responses over traditional police interventions for thousands of calls each year.
The takeaway
The city aims to significantly reduce the current 83-minute average response time for crisis teams to under one hour. This consolidation effort is intended to ensure that clinicians or co-response teams are the primary responders for the city's most common emergency requests.
What happens next
The City Council is slated to hold a public hearing on October 14, 2026, followed by a final expected approval vote on October 26, 2026.
Further reading
Find more updates on local policy in the Law Enforcement section.
Live Poll
Should your city divert non-violent 911 calls to social workers instead of police?
