New Jersey's ARRIVE Together Program Shows Promising Results in Policing and Mental Health Support

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin recently participated in a Brookings Institution panel discussion on New Jersey's ARRIVE Together program, which has proven effective in reducing uses of force, arrests, and racial disparities in policing outcomes, while providing more individuals with mental health treatment. 

The event, titled "Policing, public safety, and mental health: Findings from the New Jersey ARRIVE Together Program," featured a study by Brookings Senior Fellow, Dr. Rashawn Ray, analyzing data from the pilot programs in Cumberland and Union Counties.

The study found that the ARRIVE Together program successfully reduced arrests and uses of force, linked individuals experiencing mental health crises with appropriate services, and allowed law enforcement resources to be redirected towards criminal activity and violent crimes. 

The program, which involves mental health professionals assisting law enforcement during crisis situations, was found to provide officers with additional options and tools to better communicate with the public.

Governor Murphy's proposed Fiscal Year 2024 budget includes $10 million in funding to expand ARRIVE Together across the state, making it the first statewide law enforcement and mental health co-responder collaboration in the U.S. 

The program is set to expand in May 2023, with nearly 40 law enforcement agencies across New Jersey participating.