In this episode, Eric and Amy sit down with Andrew Dameron, Director of Denver 911, to unpack how crisis response is being reimagined from the very first call for help. Drawing on Denver’s STAR program, Andrew explains why mental health and behavioral crisis response must be treated as core public safety—not an “alternative”—and why 911 is the most powerful point of intervention.
They discuss the challenges of integrating clinicians into emergency systems, the limits of one-size-fits-all responses, and how data—not fear—should determine when police are needed and when they aren’t. Andrew also shares why professionalizing crisis response, building dedicated dispatch pathways, and aligning public safety and public health are essential to breaking cycles of crisis before arrest.
This is a candid conversation about systems change, leadership, and getting the right responder to the right call when it matters most.