A Year of CARE - How Cambridge’s Community Safety Department Is Redefining Crisis Response

What if a 911 call didn’t always mean flashing lights and sirens? In Cambridge, that vision became reality in 2025, as the Community Safety Department (CSD) celebrated its first full year of transforming how the City responds to crises.

A New Model for Public Safety

Launched in July 2024, the department’s CARE Team—a group of highly trained, compassionate, and unarmed civilian responders—has been rewriting the playbook for emergency response. Their mission? To bring empathy and expertise to situations where mental health, wellbeing, and quality of life are at stake.

By the end of 2025, the CARE Team had answered more than 1,200 crisis calls, from mental health emergencies to wellness checks. And here’s the game-changer: 94% of those calls were resolved without any police involvement.

Impact You Can See

The numbers tell a powerful story. Beyond crisis calls, CARE is helping free up resources and reducing response times for all first responder teams - making neighborhoods safer for everyone.

But the real impact is in the lives changed. One call in 2025 involved a resident in emotional distress after making suicidal statements. Instead of a traditional law enforcement response, the CARE Team arrived with a different approach that involved conducting a safety assessment, identifying barriers to sobriety, coordinating animal care, and connecting the individual to elder benefits assistance. Over time, through collaboration with Cambridge Police, Emergency Communications, and Pro EMS, the individual began working toward sobriety and healthier coping strategies—reducing repeated 911 calls and improving overall well-being.

Beyond the Call

CARE isn’t just about crisis intervention. The team provides ongoing case management, helping residents navigate housing searches, food insecurity, eviction prevention, and emotional support. They connect people to local resources and partner organizations, ensuring that help doesn’t end when the call does.