NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation on 911, Alternative Hotlines, and Alternative Responder Models

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks research and evaluation proposals on the ability of 911 and alternative, three-digit service numbers (e.g., 311, 211, 988) to assess public service and safety needs and respond to them safely, efficiently, effectively, and equitably. This includes research to assess the use of new methods and technologies to support effective and equitable responses to public calls for service, such as research on the training and operating procedures of call takers and dispatchers to ensure accurate and unbiased coding, priority assessment, and dispatch decisions; and evaluations of the public’s knowledge and use of alternative three-digit service numbers and the degree to which they are receiving and adequately addressing the types of calls they are intended to divert from 911. This solicitation also invites proposals to evaluate the effectiveness of models that employ non-sworn first responders in partnership with, or as an alternative to, police response or enforcement. In addition, NIJ invites proposals that evaluate alternative traffic enforcement models, including changes in policies about what types of traffic violations sworn officers enforce and new measures to employ non-sworn personnel for response or enforcement of traffic violations.