MORE THAN 200 years ago, the City of Lynn saw a need to be filled, and founded the Lynn Fire Department in response. The Lynn Police Department, as we know it today, started about 150 years ago. If the city’s newly launched “Calm Team” lives up to our hopes, Lynn will look back to this moment for many years to come as the launch of a similarly vital public safety initiative.
We have long asked police to respond to almost every kind of trouble imaginable. Whether a violent incident is taking place or a person with known mental illness is in the throes of an acute episode, the way to beckon help has been to dial 911 for police.
Recognizing that there are situations where a different type of response could be the best way to deal with a situation, a growing number of communities across the US are exploring ways to handle calls for help other than by sending police officers…