University Police partners with Whatcom County’s Alternative Response Team

Since Western’s transition to What-Comm 911, the University Police Department (UPD) has strengthened its collaboration with Whatcom County’s Alternative Response Team (ART) — a vital step in delivering more compassionate, effective support to our campus community.

ART is a program of the county health department that sends trained behavioral health specialists to respond to 911 calls involving mental health crises, substance use, or other non-violent, high-need situations. ART typically responds in small groups without any law enforcement involvement, but at times will co-respond with law enforcement to high-risk calls. ART is an innovative program that benefits people needing support who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis, and it benefits our police personnel, allowing them to respond to other emergent calls requiring law enforcement intervention. 

Thanks to our integration with What-Comm 911, Western students, faculty, and staff can now benefit from this innovative model. When 911 is called, trained dispatchers evaluate if the situation needs a law enforcement response or an alternative response to meet a mental or behavioral health need.  ART is currently operational Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. UPD can also request an ART response, helping de-escalate situations with empathy and expertise. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to safety, wellness, and reducing barriers to mental health care.

Connecting people in crisis with the right resources—whether that is counseling, shelter, or medical care—makes our entire community stronger.

This collaboration is one more way Western is leading in holistic, community-centered public safety.