Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP / Getty Images
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A program aimed at addressing calls for service involving the unhoused has expanded to more Westside neighborhoods, Los Angeles city officials announced Monday.
In addition to Venice and Del Rey, the Crisis and Incident Response through Community-led Engagement, or CIRCLE, now covers the Oakwood, Mar Vista, Palms, Playa Vista, Playa Del Rey, Westchester, Manchester Square and Dockweiler Beach areas. CIRCLE teams respond to calls related to loitering, well-being checks, noise disturbances, substance abuse issues and indecent exposure.
The program is intended to "free-up" Los Angeles Police Department sworn personnel by sending non-violent 911 mental health calls to mental health workers and individuals trained to help unhoused individuals experiencing crisis, according to Mayor Karen Bass' office, which operates the program within the mayor's Office of Community Safety.
"We are responding to the mental health crisis with solutions that are long-term and sustainable," Bass said in a statement. "At the same time, we are freeing up our LAPD officers to fight crime."
"Our work does not stop here. We will continue working on this important issue and continue to make our city safer," Bass added.
City Council members Katy Yaroslavsky and Traci Park, who represent the 5th and 11th Council Districts, encompassing Westside neighborhoods, joined Bass during a news conference Monday morning to discuss what the expansion of CIRCLE will mean for residents.
"The expansion of the CIRCLE program to additional neighborhoods on the Westside is a crucial step in our effort to provide effective, compassionate crisis response," Yaroslavsky said in a statement. "By deploying mental health professionals to handle non-violent incidents, we not only offer immediate support to our unhoused neighbors but also allow our police officers to focus on fighting crime."
Park noted that their districts have been "deeply affected" by the homelessness crisis. The councilwoman added, "Expanding CIRCLE's services throughout the Pacific Division is crucial, but we must continue to invest heavily in the infrastructure and training needed to make this initiative successful."
Rep. Ted Lieu, who represents the state's 36th Congressional District, also joined Bass and shared that he was honored to secure $1.5 million for the program through the federal appropriations process in 2022.
The program also operates in Hollywood, downtown Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, the Harbor Area and the San Fernando Valley. The public can access CIRCLE through the non-emergency line at 1-877-275-5273 or 877-ASK-LAPD. Select the "non-emergency dispatch" option.