Cambridge Police Announce Co-Responder Program

(CAMBRIDGE, Md) – The Cambridge Police Department is launching a co responder program later this summer in order to help address mental health on calls. And it’s set to be one of the first on the Eastern Shore.

The partnership will see Cambridge first responders teaming up with mental health clinicians from the Affiliated Sante Group.

“Whether they be, unhoused, whether there be domestic situations, whether it involves children. They’re going to be getting those resources. You know, the police is trained in many different areas. We’re not an expert when it comes to the mental health field,” says Cambridge Police Chief, Justin Todd.

That’s where the Sante Group comes into play.

Sante Group have run a similar program in Baltimore for nearly 20 years, and are hoping to replicate that success on this side of the Bay.

Tina Brown, Sante’s Regional Director of Crisis Services on the Eastern Shore tells WMDT, “We want to show that, by working with our law enforcement partners, that we will be we will divert people from, the hospital, we’ll divert people from incarceration, especially in Dorchester County.”

As the Cambridge police prepares to roll out this partnership later on in the summer, they’re excited to put this into work for more effective response.

Chief Todd tells us, “Many of our, calls for service are mental health related calls a service? So, we know this could be a big benefit for our city. Once this gets up and running.”

The Co-Responder program will officially launch in August.