SMART Community Policing Act

S 5546, the SMART Community Policing Act, amends federal funding rules to allow Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) funds to support new mental health crisis response programs. It directly enables communities to establish mobile crisis teams (with mental health professionals and paramedics responding to 911 calls), co-responder teams (officers paired with clinicians), and case management teams for follow-up care. These programs aim to reduce police involvement in non-violent mental health crises, connect individuals to services, and decrease repeat emergency contacts. The bill changes how existing COPS funds can be used, focusing on community-based mental health support rather than law enforcement-led responses.