If an old lady falls down then you call 911 and get an ambulance to come. There's no risk of violence. But with mental illness there is the risk of violence an

If an old lady falls down then you call 911 and get an ambulance to come. There's no risk of violence. But with mental illness there is the risk of violence and that is the police's role. I can't see this working out and it's not fair to send in people not able to deal with a situation if it turns violent. You are sending in unarmed people to ENGAGE with someone potentially violent. If something goes wrong, sure they can call the police, but if you have people already engaging with the person it increases the risk for them.