A program in Atlanta that offers an alternative to calling the police for non-emergency situations now allows residents to reach the service by simply dialing 311.
The Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative, known as “PAD,” is partnering with the city services hotline to accept calls in Atlanta Police Department zones 5 and 6, which include downtown, Midtown and much of the Eastside.
The 311 line is typically used for reporting non-emergency issues like potholes or a missed trash pickup. As of last week, residents can now call 311 (or 404-546-0311 if outside the city limits) to report community concerns related to mental health, substance use or extreme poverty, the city announced.
For example, if a resident of an apartment complex sees someone sleeping outside next to their building, they can call 311 instead of 911 to get that person help. Members of the PAD team would then go to the location and offer the person shelter or connect them with other services.
The expansion of the PAD program — previously known as the Atlanta/Fulton County Pre-Arrest Diversion Initiative — is in line with calls from local and national activists to reimagine public safety and the role of police, by keeping more vulnerable individuals out of the criminal justice system and focusing instead on social support for people who aren’t committing serious crimes.
The initiative partners with Atlanta police, giving officers the option to divert people to the program instead of arresting them. Right now, the partnership is only active in some police zones, but has plans to expand citywide by the end of the year.
Residents can call 311 and make a referral to PAD for concerns related to mental health, drug use, public disturbances and public indecency, according to its website. The initiative is not for medical or mental health emergencies, and residents should still call 911 for those issues.
The 311 hotline currently accepts calls to PAD from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. To make a referral to PAD, dial 311 and select “Option 1” to speak to a 311 customer service agent. The PAD team plans to respond to requests within 30 minutes, though some may take longer.
The initiative began in 2017 as a two-year pilot program, and has helped over 200 people who were set to be arrested for minor offenses by diverting them to resources like a homeless shelter or rehabilitation program to address substance abuse issues.
PAD expanded last year after the Atlanta City Council allocated about $1.5 million to the program and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed a series of administrative orders focused on police reform, including a directive for Atlanta police to partner with PAD and train officers across the city.
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