SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Police Department is hoping to recruit a licensed social worker to help them in crisis intervention situations in the field.
SLCPD's crisis intervention team has been in place for five years, but the department is seeing a greater need for people who can help police resolve tense situations.
Last September, a Salt Lake City woman called police and asked for a crisis intervention officer to help her bring her 13-year-old son with autism to hospital.
Police shot and wounded the boy as he ran from officers near 500 South and Navajo Street.
While police can successfully resolve many types of conflicts on their own and without the use of force, a social worker can be a valuable asset in some situations.
“The benefit of having the training is that we can help assist officers and work as a team. We still need the officers on scene for the logistical, tactical stuff but then we can work on, behind the scenes, whether that‘s housing, medication management or short-term therapy, especially with this position," said Jessica Waters, social work director, SLCPD
Waters said many people don’t understand what social work has to do with a police officer’s job until they experience a family member or friend in crisis.
Click here to view SLCPD's social worker job listing.
