Mediation Response Unit
Who Are We?
We are a City of Dayton program under the umbrella of the Dayton Mediation Center and are an alternative response team that responds to low emergent 911 calls within the City of Dayton. Our program was formulated after the police reform talks began in 2020 and the working groups identified recommendations for the community of Dayton. We are a team of trained responders with a wealth of experience and certification in areas such as crisis response, de-escalation, conflict resolution and community development and relationship building.
%20copy_edited.jpg)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Our Purpose?
The big picture goal is to work on improving community police relations, provide alternatives to police response in our community as well as to reduce the number of 911 calls for certain low emergent situations and allow officers more time to take the higher emergent calls. We will be providing an alternative response to 911 calls of various situations that include but are not limited to: noise complaints, neighbor/roommate disputes, barking dogs, loitering, unruly juvenile complaints.
How Will We Respond?
We will have a call taker that receives calls that have been made to 911 and deemed appropriate for the MRU. If the situation can be resolved with a phone call, the caller will be provided with information, connected to resources and case management services provided, should the caller be interested. If an on-scene response is warranted, a two person team will be dispatched to the scene to intervene with the situation the caller initiated the 911 call for. Connection to resources, follow up and case management services will available to the parties involved.
What are the Hours of the MRU?
The MRU will be providing response Monday through Friday from 11am to 8pm. The hours for the MRU derived from the research done on Dayton’s 911 calls during a six week time period in the fall of 2021 in which the 11 am to 8 pm timeframe noted the highest number of MRU appropriate calls were found to be taking place.
Will the MRU Respond to Mental Health Calls?
While there is likelihood that many of the calls the MRU will take may have some components of mental health, that is not the focus of the MRU. Currently, Montgomery County ADAMHS funds the Crisis Now program that can be reached at 833-580-2255 for mental health related calls. The program does not, currently, go through 911 but does provide a resource for mental health related calls.
Who Do I Contact if I Have Questions?
If you have questions, concerns or would like to provide feedback about this new initiative, you may reach out to the MRU Coordinator, Raven Cruz Loaiza, via email at raven.loaiza@daytonohio.gov or by phone at 937-333-2301.
How do I report a complaint?
Please contact the MRU direct line to report a complaint at 937-333-2333.
Meet The MRU Team
Raven Cruz Loaiza, MSW, LSW, RA
Mediation Response Coordinator
Raven joined the Dayton Mediation Center team in 2022 as the Mediation Response Coordinator for the newly developed Mediation Response Unit (MRU). The MRU derived from the City of Dayton’s police reform initiatives and is in place to provide the community of Dayton with on scene alternate response options for non-violent incidences that arise.
Joshua Bedink, BA
Mediation Response Specialist I
Joshua’s career at the Dayton Mediation Center began in 2022 when he joined the newly formed Mediation Response Unit as a Mediation Response Specialist I. This innovative and first of its kind program was created to be an alternative response to 911 calls. Joshua brings with him over 20 years of experience and training in conflict management, deescalation techniques, and non violent crisis intervention. He is certified in CPI by the Crisis Prevention Institute. He is also a Certified Transformative Mediator with the Institute for the study of Conflict Transformation.
Joshua earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Wright State University in Fairborn Ohio.
Josh Bedink
Mediation Response Specialist II
· I graduated from Comboni Port-Sudan High school in 1994.
· I worked as a teacher for Archdiocese of Khartoum at St. Thomas More Elementary School from 1996 to 2000.
· I worked for ZOA Refugee Care Ethiopia as a Peace Education Instructor and developmental projects supervisor from 2001 to 2006.
· In 2007 I founded a Community Organization by the Sudanese Community in Dayton Ohio USA, and I led the Association from 2007 to 2011.
· In December 2001 I come up with an idea to establish Dayton African Community Center and I become an Executive Director of the Center from 2011 to present.
· I went to Wright State University and graduated in 2015 and I was a warded a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership.
· I went to Sinclair Community College, and I graduated, and I was a warded Associate Degree of in Liberal Arts and Science in 2012.
· I worked as Assembler Associate II from 2007 to 2019 and I worked as Manufacture Engineering Technician I from 2019 to 2021 for Honeywell First Responder Products.
· On May 2,2007 I was a warded The Raising Star award, by Catholic Social services of the Miami Valley Dayton Ohio USA.
· On January 27, 2015, I was a warded Star award for innovative Thinking to improve products by Honeywell First Responder Products.
· On May 7,2016 I was a warded Bronze award for volunteering to translate for the co-workers, by Honeywell First Responder Products.
· On June 20, 2017, I was a warded Honor and Recognition award for my Services and contribution for the Refugee, by Welcome Dayton Ohio USA.
Luciana Lieff, BA
Mediation Response Specialist II
Luciana began her career with the Center as a Transformative Mediator in 2018 and joined the staff as a Mediator Response Specialist II in 2022. She is part of the Mediation Response Unit that will be responding to non-violent 911 calls.
Luciana earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies with Concentration in Conflict Studies from Antioch University Midwest, Yellow Springs, OH, and her AAS degree in Criminal Justice from Clark State Community College, Beavercreek, OH.