HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF POLICE SOCIAL WORK AND COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIES BY POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS

This historical analysis reveals that police social work has existed since 1893. Still, the focus on embedded social workers is new. Community policing has significantly changed how U.S. police departments have developed an emphasis on community relations. Kappeler and Gaines (2015) posit that “community policing rests on the belief that only by working together with people will the police be able to improve the quality of life for all members of a community” (p. 2). Community-oriented policing (COP) strategy differs from problem-oriented policing (POP). Regarding POP, “agencies develop strategies to prevent and reduce crime and disorder” (Development Services Group, 2023, p. 1). Therefore, in dealing with mental health challenges, many police departments have collaborative strategies that are designed to work effectively with social service providers. This study explored Minnesota as a case study because law enforcement and police departments include local, state, and regional districts in their composition.