Alexandria PD has two social workers on staff, and agencies across the country are taking notice

The police social workers step in to help people with substance use disorders, people with mental health issues and people experiencing homelessness.

NEW THIS MORNING...LAWENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ACROSSTHE COUNTRY ARE RECONSIDERINGTHEIR PRACTICES AND POLICIESAFTER MONTHS OF SOCIAL JUSTICEPROTESTS AND CALLS FOR REFORM.SOME ARE NOW LOOKING TO APOLICE DEPARTMENT IN NORTHERNKENTUCKY FOR A POSSIBLESOLUTION.

WCPO 9 NEWS REPORTERSINA GEBRE-AB EXPLAINS."Probably several emails aweek, or calls, to agenciesall across the country thatare looking for information onhow to start a program likethis."CHIEF LUCAS COOPER SAYSADDING TWO SOCIAL WORKERS TOTHE ALEXANDRIA POLICEDEPARTMENT IS AN ALTERNATIVETHAT'S WORKED FOR HISCITY."Officers just don't alwayshave the time for following upwith people, making sure thatthey're going through thesteps that they need to.

Oursocial workers buy us a lot oftime.

They have the time toinvest in dealing with peopleand getting them in contactwith the people they mayneed.""Obviously substance abuse,mental health, domesticviolence, homelessness."ANDTHEY'VE BEEN EVEN MOREESSENTIAL DURING THE PANDEMIC... KELLY POMPILIO, THEDEPARTMENT'S FIRST POLICESOCIAL WORKER, SAYS THOUGHTHEY USUALLY FOLLOW UP WITHABOUT 70 PEOPLE EACH MONTH"With the COVID crisis, ournumbers for mental healthcalls have doubled almosttripled" CHIEF COOPER SAYS THEPOLICE SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE NOTONLY HELPED REDUCE REPEATCALLS FOR SERVICE..."Also given people a bettersense of trust with the policedepartment"I feel like they feel theirconcerns are valued.

I feellike they have a connectionwith the police department,with myself.

We're starting tosee a trend where now thatthey know we exist, they cometo the police department andask for a police socialworker."AND WITH THAT KIND OFIMPACT ..."I'm hopeful that more policedepartments will come aboardand do this."ALEXANDRIA P-D HIRED THEIRFIRST POLICE SOCIAL WORKER IN2016 AND THEIR SECOND IN 20-18.THEY SAY TWO ARE ENOUGH TOHANDLE THE NEEDS OF THEIRDEPARTMENT SO AT THIS POINTTHE CHIEF DOES NOT PLAN TOHIRE ANY