The unit will respond to calls for domestic disputes, mental health crises and other cases that normally would have required police. It is named in honor of Angelo Quinto, an Antioch resident who his family says died in police custody while experiencing a mental health episode.
Antioch launched a community response team to report to calls about mental health crises and other incidents that normally would have required police.Antioch city leaders unveiled the new community response team. It's a unit trained to respond to calls for domestic incidents, mental health crises and other incidents that normally would have required police.
"It has a huge impact of the needs the community has, and it really starts to decriminalize things we take for granted," said Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe. "If your parents are about to engage in a domestic incident, or you're a homeless person wondering in the middle of the street, this team is trained to assist with that and de-escalate the situation."
Twelve people will be deployed throughout the city to aid people experiencing these issues. Mayor Thorpe says this was a pilot program for two years, but now it is in full operation. 911 dispatchers will determine if the caller needs this service. It comes during a time when members of the Antioch Police Department are on administrative leave for allegedly sending racists texts. Police Chief Steven Ford says this new program will help the department."This resource will free up those low-level mental health related phone calls they can go to," Ford said. "They have the expertise to deal with that stuff, and we can focus on keeping the city safe.
"It means that Angelo's death was not in vain," his father Robert Collins said. "If this program would have been working in December 2020, I don't think Angelo would have died."
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Antioch names new crisis response team for Angelo QuintoThe city of Antioch on Monday launched a new non-police crisis response team named after Angelo Quinto, a resident who died in police custody during a mental health crisis.
Read more »
Antioch unveils mental health crisis response unit named after Angelo Quinto who died in police custodyAntioch officials welcomed the city's first mental health crisis response team and its mobile crisis response van Monday morning.
Read more »
Police ID Antioch man found fatally shot while driving in OaklandAn Antioch man fatally shot Saturday morning as he was driving in Oakland has been identified by police.
Read more »
Antioch launches first mental health crisis response teamNew nonpolice team will respond to low-level mental health crises, domestic disputes and other issues.
Read more »
Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell felt ‘held back’ by Timberwolves before tradeThe Lakers guard, who is having a big impact during the 2023 NBA playoffs, said he felt “held back” by his former team.
Read more »
Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell may have found a home in his second stint with teamRussell can become a free agent at season’s end, but for now, he seems content to live in the moment with the team that drafted him second overall in 2015.
Read more »