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AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – The town of Amherst marked the third anniversary of its Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS) department, which assists in non-violent situations.
CRESS offers residents an alternative to traditional emergency services by assisting in non-violent situations and directing individuals to appropriate departments for issues such as housing and mental health support.
“A lot of the times, people who look like me are marginalized, who are vulnerable are afraid and intimidated by the police. CRESS is critical for our community,” said Debora Ferreira, co-chair for the Community Safety Social Justice Committee.
Residents interested in utilizing CRESS services can contact the department directly or visit their office located on Boltwood Walk. The department also receives calls from the Amherst Dispatch Center when situations are deemed non-threatening.
As Amherst continues to support CRESS, the department remains a vital resource for residents seeking assistance in non-violent situations, promoting safety and equity within the community. For more information, visit amherstma.gov.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WWLP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WWLP staff before being published.
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Jonah Snowden
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