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Spokane police outline push for 24/7 crisis care and unveil gun‑crime pilot
Summary
Spokane Police Chief Hall told the council the department is pursuing a 'third‑place' 24/7 crisis facility, embedding clinicians in dispatch and pilot night responder teams, and announced a six‑person Gun Crime Unit aimed at reducing gun‑related incidents 10% by December 2026.
Chief Hall told the Public Safety & Community Health Committee that Spokane is trying to close gaps in crisis care and cut unnecessary emergency room handoffs by building out a 24/7 crisis‑response model and embedding clinicians in dispatch.
“We're hoping to build an infrastructure that can support a 24/7 model,” Chief Hall said, explaining the goal of phone stabilization and clinician‑assisted dispatch to stabilize callers and, when needed, send mobile crisis teams rather than patrol officers.
Hall described a recent February case in which an individual who had been involuntarily committed and referred for follow‑up later died by suicide, using the episode to argue…
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