Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Chairman Timilty, Chairman González, and Members of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security:
My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the Chair of the Issues Committee of Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide grassroots advocacy group fighting for a Massachusetts that is more equitable, just, sustainable, and democratic.
I am testifying today in support of S.1552 / H.2519: An Act to Create Alternatives for Community Emergency Services (ACES), filed by Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz and Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa.
We are appreciative of the work that the Legislature did last session in passing police accountability legislation that created better standards for police professionalization as well as stronger limitations on the use of force. But there is more work to be done.
This bill recognizes two key points. First, the best way to reduce the incidence of police brutality is to limit police interactions (and, accordingly, the scope of policing). Second, we overwork police officers by asking them to do many tasks for which they are not trained to do. Police officers are not trained social workers or mental health professionals, and we neither serve the police or the community well by asking them to respond to situations in which a social worker or mental health professional — or even a member of the community — would be best fit to respond.
Acknowledging this fundamental, and sometimes tragic, mismatch, the bill would direct the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to establish and oversee the Alternatives for Community Emergency Services Grant Program (A.C.E.S.) to increase the availability of non-law-enforcement, unarmed community-based response options for calls to 911.
The ACES bill would encourage the creation of local systems for protecting the mental and physical well-being of residents, preventing violence, de-escalating volatile situations, ensuring access to human services, and reducing government use of force, in emergency and non-emergency situations that do not necessitate the presence of law enforcement personnel, or, where appropriate, the person requesting help requests a response from an alternative to law enforcement. And to ensure the appropriate use of funds, the bill requires timely evaluation to assess outcomes and costs, such as mental, physical, and behavioral health outcomes, impact on reduced demand for law enforcement response to 911 calls, and rate of successfully connecting residents with human services for which they present a need. Moreover, the bill recognizes that community-based organizations, rather than local law enforcement departments, are often the best-equipped to manage such work and do the work of building trust.
The American Rescue Plan authorized funding for alternative crisis programs. Massachusetts should embrace this opportunity to expand on police reform. De-escalation training and requirements are important. But some calls shouldn’t be going to the police at all.
Please give a favorable report to S.1552 / H.2519: An Act to Create Alternatives for Community Emergency Services (ACES).
Sincerely,
Jonathan Cohn
Chair, Issues Committee
Progressive Massachusetts
