| Welcome to a new week. Don't forget your rain jacket as we could see scattered thunderstorms (high of 90, low of 77). Below you can read all about why school officials in Florida are confused about the Advanced Placement psychology course; the crew training to row across the Atlantic; and how new state laws are affecting housing in St. Petersburg. |
| In 2021, the St. Petersburg Police Department created a unit to send social workers to nonviolent 911 calls related to mental health, substance abuse and poverty. At first, officers accompanied them. But a few months later, social workers started going to incidents without law enforcement. Social workers responded to more than half of the city’s calls where no crime was committed during the first nine months of the Community Assistance and Life Liaison program, according to a USF study. No injuries have been reported. CALL has received support from officers, who say the program frees them up to respond to more crimes, as well as local advocates, who want to see the unit continue to expand. “Other cities and other locations are watching what we’re doing here in St. Pete,” said one community organizer. “We’re leading the way right now in law enforcement from this little city.” What’s next for the program as it nears its third year? |
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