Community intervention specialist Rob Hanna exits a MACRO van. September 2022
OAKLAND, Calif. - The city's newly launched Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland, or MACRO, unit will respond to a variety of calls seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Residents are asked to call 911 to get a MACRO unit to respond, and in an effort to aid the dispatcher, the caller can stress that the situation appears to be non-violent and that a MACRO unit is desired.
MACRO units will not respond inside anyone's home, a domestic violence call or anything that appears dangerous or violent.
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MACRO teams will respond to calls about homelessness, some behavioral or mental health calls, noise complaints and people being drunk (and nonviolent) in public.
Residents are asked not to call 211, 311, or the non-emergency fire department number to get a MACRO response at this time.
MACRO formally kicked off April 9 after years of public demand.