Collaboration in Crisis: The Implementation of Social Workers in Law Enforcement

• In Event: Police Youth Mentoring, Athletic Leagues and Social Workers, and the Community Context of Police-Community Initiatives

Abstract

In response to Connecticut’s Police Accountability Act, passed in 2020, law enforcement agencies across the state conducted feasibility assessments on integrating social workers into police response models. This study examines agencies that moved beyond assessment to implement Police Social Work (PSW) programs. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and qualitative analysis of perspectives from law enforcement personnel, embedded social workers, and other key stakeholders, this study explores how agencies structured these programs, the challenges they encountered, and the perceived impact on policing. The findings highlight how departments navigated organizational change, interagency collaboration, and legislative mandates. They also reveal the complexities of integrating social workers into law enforcement within existing policing frameworks.

Authors

• Kimberly Przeszlowski, Quinnipiac University

• Lori Sudderth, Quinnipiac University