Unarmed social workers preparing to respond to 911 calls in Cambridge Boston 25 News [Video]

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A team of unarmed social workers could soon start responding to some 911 calls in Cambridge instead of the police.

The director of the city’s new Community Assistance Response and Engagement told Boston 25 News that the team is preparing for a rollout as soon as July.

Cambridge’s CARE Team began training last September and has been doing outreach since December.

They’re now anticipating the tentative plan that will involve dispatchers sending them to non-violent incidents and mental health crises.

The CARE Team will not be accompanied by police unlike some other alternative response programs recently deployed in other cities across the country.

“If anything goes wrong. If there’s any safety concerns. They can radio for assistance immediately and get back up right away,” said Liz Speakman, the team’s director.

Speakman told Boston 25 News that the team has traveled to Durham, NC, on two occasions to …