Zohran Mamdani wants social workers responding to 911 calls — but test program is already failing

nypost.com ^ | November 13, 2025 | Hannah Fierick and Matthew Fischetti

[lowbridge]

Mayor-elect Zohram Mamdani wants to deploy social workers instead of police officers to respond to 911 calls — but the controversial plan has already been operating in the Big Apple and is failing.

-snip

B-HEARD launched in 2021 as a pilot program and only operates in some city neighborhoods, but a bleak audit conducted in May by the city comptroller found it was limping — with a whopping 60% of calls deemed ineligible while more than 35% of eligible calls from mental health professionals never got a response.

“Calls were considered potentially dangerous, were ineligible because a mental health professional was already at the scene, or were unable to be triaged because FDNY EMS did not take the call or all necessary information could not be collected about the person in distress,” the comptroller’s office wrote in a news release at the time.

Between fiscal years 2022 and 2024, the program received a total of 96,291 calls — and 24,071 (25%) of those received a response from a “B-HEARD Team” consisting of two FDNY officers and EMTs, and one social worker.

The proud socialist mayor-elect is looking to drastically scale up the program — which currently consists of 18 active teams — through a 150% increase in funding that would place one response squad in each Big Apple neighborhood, and up to three teams in areas with higher need.

Mamdani’s plan would absorb B-HEARD into the DCS, which his campaign website touts as an agency meant to “fill the gaps of our programs and services” on his campaign website.

“Its mission will be to prevent violence before it happens by taking a public health approach to safety,” the document reads.

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TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: mamdani; newyork; nyc

[ProtectOurFreedom]

We went through this crap after St. George went to the Pearly Gates. It didn’t work then, it won’t work now, and it will never work.

[dfwgator]

911 is a joke.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

With all the "violence prevention" efforts the past 75 years, we should have zero violence anywhere in society today. Everybody should be as docile as can be.

[Secret Agent Man]

Whoever can just hang up. Or never answer.

Effing brilliant plan. He knew it wouldn’t work.

[_longranger81]

Take a “Public Health approach”…

How about quarantine?

[dpetty121263]

Well maybe these Social Workers will get abused, that will stop them from sucking eggs..

[Seruzawa]

Shrinks create violence. They don’t reduce it. Every mass shooter has been under drug treatment by a shrink. Get a clue. “Mental health” is pseudoscientific horse manure.

[VanShuyten]

“… a “B-HEARD Team” consisting of two FDNY officers and EMTs, and one social worker.”

So, instead of sending two cops who can assess the situation and then call for those needed, such as fire, ambulance or social worker(?), they just send the whole gang.

Doesn’t sound very efficient.

[Billthedrill]

"The fact that the program is not reaching people does not tell me it’s unsuccessful; that is a matter of resources,” said Richard Aborn, president of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City.

Translation - the classic "It isn't working so we need more money." No, bud, it isn't working because it's stupid.

[Libloather]

Shots fired (and there will be plenty of those.) Who goes in first?

[Verginius Rufus]

Steve Kelley’s cartoon for today is relevant....a social worker responding to a domestic violence call. Free to view on Arcamax.

[Made In The USA]

Watching all of this utopian, touchy-feely, socialist nonsense fail will be fun to watch from far, far away.