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ATL 311 offers alternative non-emergency response to quality-of-life issues
PAD accepts community referrals through Atlanta's non-emergency service line. The response time is typically within 45 minutes.
ATLANTA - After a chance encounter with a homeless mother and child at an Atlanta shopping center, Ruby-Beth Buitekant wanted to help. She dialed ATL 311.
"I decided this would be a perfect opportunity to call PAD at 311," Buitekant told FOX 5's Deidra Duke. "So I called them not knowing necessarily that they would absolutely be able to do whatever is needed, but I knew it was an alternative to calling the police."
A representative with the city's Policing Alternatives and Diversion Program, also known as PAD, sent someone to assess the need, provide the family food and other services.
ATL 311 partnered with PAD in 2021. PAD accepts community referrals through the City's 311 non-emergency city services line.
Commissioner Myesha Good, oversees the department. Good says many Atlanta residents are unaware that they should call 311 instead of 911 to report and get help for people experiencing quality-of-life issues like extreme poverty, mental health crisis and homelessness.
"PAD will then dispatch," said Good. "They typically respond to that person in 45 minutes is the goal."
Through that intervention, the PAD liaison works to find solutions for someone who might otherwise end up in jail.
" Atlanta Police Officers we come in contact with, the population that are in need of the services, we connect them with the PAD service people," said Atlanta Police Officer Jean Noziere.
Good said dialing 311 instead of 911 to report such cases allows 911 dispatchers and police to focus on emergency calls.
Buitekant is glad she could help.
"I knew it was an alternative to calling the police," said Buitekant. "I didn't feel like calling police on a neighbor who needed some help."
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