A Secondary Qualitative Analysis of U.S. Social Workers’ Perspectives on a Post-2020 Policing Era

The events of 2020 brought national attention to long-standing systemic inequities, particularly those affecting communities of color, as a convergence of public health and social justice crises. One prominent concern was police violence in the Black American community. In response, many communities explored alternative approaches to public safety, including the integration of social workers into policing to support individual well-being. This secondary qualitative data analysis, based on a phenomenological study conducted in 2022, aimed to understand social workers’ perspectives on policing in the post-2020 era, particularly those who served in law enforcement settings. Analysis of responses from 40 participants revealed two major themes: distrust and contextual impermanence. These findings offer insights into collaboration and trust-building among police, social workers, and communities, while also highlighting the complexities of training and the evolving nature of policing.