Saratoga BLM, protesters vow to create new de-escalation team

Saratoga BLM, protesters vow to create new de-escalation team

Saratoga Black Lives Matter will join other organizations in front of Saratoga Springs City Hall on Tuesday evening. They plan to address the police department's reform plan.

Saratoga Black Lives Matter will join other organizations in front of Saratoga Springs City Hall on Tuesday evening. They plan to address the police department’s reform plan.

The city adopted a plan that included 50 recommendations, like a civilian review board, de-escalation training, and responding to calls with social workers instead of police.

Despite claims from the city that most of the goals have been met, members of Saratoga Black Lives Matter are tired of waiting, they said.

“We are going to create our own non-police emergency response team that’s going to respond to calls. Instead of having police there, we’ll have actual people there who are professionals. People who are social workers, people who know how to actually deescalate a situation and not escalate a situation,” said Lexis Figuereo with Black Lives Matter.

The organization already has community partners to help with the new initiative, they said. The city has yet to respond.