City Council Sets Up Unarmed Crisis Team to Help Those in Need

The Ypsilanti City Council has moved forward with a new plan to create a team that will handle emergencies involving mental health, substance use, and homelessness without the use of firearms. The decision follows criticism over how the city managed a recent incident where police surrounded a man in crisis for more than 30 hours. Residents demanded better support and less force, prompting the council to act. Under the new plan, a community responder unit will be established. The city’s manager will work with local mental‑health experts and harm‑reduction specialists to study emergency calls. This analysis will help the city decide which situations truly need a crisis team. Funding for the program has been a point of debate. The original proposal suggested taking $1 million from the general fund, but council members have now decided to use money from “Fund 205. ” This pool is the city’s leftover balance after paying a $100, 000 housing trust and $300, 000 for public bathrooms. Some council members are concerned that pulling money from this fund could affect other priorities.The city is also facing a $3. 4 million budget shortfall, which was highlighted at the meeting. One council member argued that decisions about new programs should be part of a broader budget discussion, not made in isolation. Another noted that the city had received $194, 000 from state public‑safety funds, but 75% of that amount must go to law enforcement, limiting its use for a crisis team. The idea of an unarmed response team is not new to Ypsilanti. It gained momentum after a January standoff in which a 53‑year‑old man was held for more than half a day. Police used flashbangs, tear gas and heavy equipment, leading neighbors to describe the event as a “siege. ” The incident sparked calls for better crisis negotiation and less reliance on force. In short, the council’s resolution seeks to improve safety for both citizens in crisis and first responders by creating a specialized, unarmed team. The plan’s success will depend on careful budgeting and ongoing community support.