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Council to consider continued ARPA funding for mobile crisis response through Liberty Resources
Summary
The Syracuse Police Department requested an appropriation to extend Liberty Resources' mobile crisis response agreement through June 30, 2025, not to exceed $315,000; councilors asked for usage data and account/source clarification before acting.
The Syracuse Police Department presented a request to appropriate funds and extend an agreement with Liberty Resources Inc. to continue a mobile crisis response program that deploys mental-health professionals to incidents referred by 911 dispatch.
Deputy Chief Rich Shaffer said the proposed appropriation would authorize an amount “not to exceed $315,000” and that the contract would run through June 30, 2025. He described the program as a collaboration with the Syracuse Police Department and 911 to dispatch mobile crisis teams to incidents involving mental health or substance-use crises.
Councilors asked for data on program use and the funding source. One councilor asked for the number of calls and services provided; Shaffer agreed to supply that information. Another councilor asked whether the appropriation uses American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds; Shaffer said the legislation’s cover letter included an account number but that the source was not explicitly labeled and he would provide clarification and the accounting details to councilors before a vote.
A councilor asked for procedural bullet points explaining how ARPA monies were being appropriated and where the unspent funds resided; Shaffer agreed to provide that information with the data on service calls. Councilors emphasized they wanted the detailed usage data and account information before acting on the appropriation.
No formal vote or final approval was recorded in the transcript during the discussion.
Councilors also asked that the police department provide program-level data to inform the council's oversight and any future allocations for crisis-response services.
