Baltimore mayor announces that mental health ‘counselors’ — instead of police — will be sent to some 911 calls

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) has announced a new pilot program that will direct some 911 emergency calls to mental health professionals in lieu of notifying law enforcement officials.

According to a report from WJZ-TV, 911 dispatchers in the city receive about 36 emergency mental health calls a day.

Those calls will now go to dedicated mental health counselors trained in conflict resolution.

"Think about the sheer number of hours that our police officers are actually out dealing with something that they're not trained to do, versus being out there...