$3-mil state grant to help launch Springfield PD coresponder pilot program

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Springfield Police Department is set to receive a $3-million state grant, approved Tuesday night by City Council. The money will help launch a Co-Responder Pilot program, with the goal of taking a proactive approach to help those most in need.

Police said in some emergencies, officers may not be the right people to respond.

"So often the first call is to law enforcement but often we are not the best people to deal with the problem," Springfield Police's Assistant Chief Josh Stuenkel told WAND News.

The $3-million grant will help pay for the department to team up with community groups. This will allow counselors, social workers and homeless service providers to arrive on scene with officers, as part of a Co-Responder Unit.

"The goal is really to get those individuals into contact with providers to get them the help that they need," Assistant Chief Stuenkel explained.

Springfield Police plan to have a proactive focus on crime victims, the homeless and people addicted to drugs.

"Where we can get to these individuals where they're at, determine what issues they're having, what services they need, and get them in connection to those services prior to there being a crisis," Assistant Chief Stuenkel added.

Mayor Jim Langfelder said the program will build on efforts, like the city's Homeless Outreach Coordinator, helping get to the root cause of calls to police.

"If they get a call of somebody on the streets, or blocking the sidewalks, she might go out by herself or go out with a police officer to assess the situation, it just depends on the safety of the situation," Mayor Langfelder told WAND News.

Instead of an officer removing a homeless person, a coordinator could connect them to housing and job training, so police aren't getting called out in the first place.

"This will ultimately decrease the law enforcement calls for service for these individuals," Assistant Chief Stuenkel said.

"What you don't want to do is to have confrontation where you could avoid it. And so that's really the true value of this type of program, is you can rely on the civilians to de-escalate certain situations," Mayor Langfelder added.

The grant, part of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, will run through next June. City Council will vote to formally approve the grant next week.