AMHERST — Amherst’s first unarmed community responder teams, providing an alternative to police officers for certain nonviolent emergency calls, are expected to be on the street sometime in August.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman told the Town Council on Monday that all eight full-time responders for the Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service, or CRESS program, have been hired, and will begin their employment with the town on July 5.
Even though some could have started earlier, Bockelman said the idea is to have consistency among the responders as the program launches. “We want them to all start at the exact same time,” Bockelman said.
The responders, who will be paid between $45,000 and $61,000, depending on experience levels, will become part of a municipal union.
“This is becoming real,” Bockelman said. “We are building this for the long term and expect it to be successful.”
Bockelman said those hired come from a variety of backgrounds, including working in the schools.
“Just an incredible array of people with talent and experiences that I think you can be proud of,” Bockelman said.
The advertisement for the positions sought individuals with two to three years’ experience in social services and on working with marginalized populations, with the ability to speak multiple languages preferred.
Their initial work will involve up to eight weeks of training and skills building, all being done in-house, as the teams are created.
The responders are joining CRESS Director Earl Miller, who began his tenure overseeing the new town department in March, and Katherine “Kat” Newman, who was recently hired as the department’s operations assistant.
“They’ll make a tremendous team, I think,” Bockelman said.
Newman joins CRESS from Amherst College, where she has been the community safety supervisor in the health education department. Newman is also familiar with Amherst government, and the University of Massachusetts, after designing and implementing its COVID-19 ambassadors program. That program used students to get information to the public about staying safe during the pandemic and handing out masks.
Meanwhile, a community forum at which the public will be able to learn more about the department is set for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Bangs.
Both Miller and Police Chief Scott Livingstone will be present at the in-person event being hosted by the Amherst Senior Center.
