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The City of Richmond has officially posted the first job opening for its long-anticipated Community Crisis Response Program, signaling a major step forward in launching an initiative designed to reduce police involvement in non-violent emergencies.
The Community Intervention Specialist job opened for applications on Wednesday and will close on May 15. It offers a monthly salary ranging from $6,518 to $7,923, with benefits that include health coverage, paid parental leave, and participation in the CalPERS retirement system.
The specialist role will be part of the city’s Reach Out with Compassion and Kindness (R.O.C.K.) initiative, which aims to send trained civilian responders, instead of police officers, to calls involving behavioral health crises, substance use, homelessness, and other non-violent issues.
Richmond selects program manager for Community Crisis Response Program
The City of Richmond has hired Michael Romero, who was part of the Huntington Beach mobile crisis response team, as manager for the city’s yet-to-be-launched Community Crisis Response Program. According to a biography supplied by the City of Richmond, Romero oversaw operations for the Huntington Beach 24-hour a day,
Soren Hemmila
Under the supervision of the program’s manager, Michael Romero, Community Intervention Specialists will work in the field to de-escalate crises, connect individuals to support services, and help reduce the strain on emergency rooms and police officers. The city is seeking applicants with experience in outreach, mediation, and trauma-informed care, particularly those with lived experience with the challenges the program is designed to address.
Romero said the Community Crisis Response Program’s work is centered around the ability to connect with people in an impactful and meaningful way. The management team expects responses from a large pool of candidates with a deep connection to and passion for serving the Richmond community.
“The Rock Responders will be individuals with a combination of education, work experience, lived experience, and the ability to connect with individuals in crisis. We are looking for folks that are passionate about this work, motivated to be out in our Mobile Crisis Response Vans, in our community, and driven to make a difference in somebody’s life,” Romero said.
Each of the ROCK responders will be chosen based on a stringent hiring process, Romero said, with a panel of stakeholders from all disciplines within the city and county to ensure the best of the best for the Richmond Rock Team.
Romero said this is an exciting and crucial time for the program.
“Rock Responders, that we are calling our ‘Elite 8,’ will need to be dedicated, passionate, and well-versed at this type of work,” Romero said. “Successful programs ultimately come down to the people delivering services in the community, the ones engaging with our children, youth, adults, and elders who are experiencing an incredibly challenging time.”
The job posting notes that ideal candidates will be familiar with Richmond’s communities, possess conflict resolution skills, and be comfortable working collaboratively with emergency services like police, fire, and medical personnel. Applicants must have a high school diploma and two years of advocacy experience. However, additional training or certification in substance use or mental health services is preferred.
The positions are a major milestone for the city’s Community Crisis Response Program, which was approved by the City Council in late 2023 and has since been in development within the Office of Neighborhood Safety. The program is expected to begin responding to calls later this year.
City council selects ONS to implement program to respond to low-level 911 calls
The Richmond City Council is initiating a plan to create a non-police alternative response team for low-level emergency calls within the city’s Office of Neighborhood Safety. The Richmond Community Crisis Response Program is a pilot initiative for a non-police response to calls from Richmond residents staffed by team members
Soren Hemmila
On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the Richmond City Council upheld a recommendation to place the newly established Community Intervention Specialist position under SEIU Local 1021, rejecting an appeal by the Richmond Police Officers Association that sought to fold the position into its own union.
Richmond council rejects police union bid to absorb civilian crisis responders
The Richmond City Council upheld a recommendation to place the newly established Community Intervention Specialist (CIS) position under SEIU Local 1021, rejecting an appeal by the Richmond Police Officers Association (RPOA) that sought to fold the position into its own union. Meanwhile, non-sworn civilian staff within the Richmond Police Department have announced plans to leave their current unions and pursue representation under the RPOA.
Soren Hemmila
Richmond joins a growing number of cities across the country, such as Eugene, Oregon, and Oakland, California, that have created civilian response teams to handle incidents that do not require an armed law enforcement presence. Advocates argue such programs improve outcomes for vulnerable residents and reduce the potential for unnecessary use of force.
Interested individuals must apply through the City of Richmond’s online portal by 11:59 p.m. on May 15. A select group of applicants will be invited to participate in oral interviews before being placed on an eligibility list.
More information about the position and qualifications can be found at the City of Richmond Employment Opportunities.
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