St Peterbug non-Police

[Jim Watson]

Stop me if you've heard this one.

In St Petersburg "non-violent" calls will be responded to by Community Assistace Liason without uniform, gun, or even a radio. Cases to include:

Intoxicated individuals
Mental health crises
Drug overdose
Disorderly intoxication
Suicide crises
Homeless complaints and panhandling
Neighborhood disputes
Truancy, or disorderly minors
Disorderly juveniles at elementary schools

I see a lot of risk for a well meaning social worker type.

[feudist]

The Good Idea fairy has been hard at work.

[Bart Carter]

Can't wait to see these SJWs trying to substitute for the police in these situations.

[Totem Polar]

It’ll work great, right up until it doesn’t.

Where’s St. Petersburg, besides Russia?

[willie]

Florida. Near Tampa.

[Coyotesfan97]

I worked with a guy who lateraled from St Petersburg. He said it was a shit hole when he left and that was probably thirty years ago. Good luck with that program. I’m guessing there’ll be plenty of staging until patrol gives the code 4.

[Luger]

As I have mentioned before, I`ve never done policing in the US. So I don`t know shit about much of the issues you face over there.
But from my perspective as a member of the bavarian state police: Why not?
As long as there is no crime and no danger to the public, why should police respond to a neighborhood dispute? Or a disorderly juvenile?

When I worked as a patrol officer, I encountered numerous people, who didn`t really need a law enforcement officer. They just needed someone to talk to. I`d been glad to have some social workers respond to this calls.

The onliest problem is: This will not reduce the use of force by police!
Because if you face a violent person, you don`t need social workers. You`ll need armed police officers.

[rob_s]

I worked with a guy who lateraled from St Petersburg. He said it was a shit hole when he left and that was probably thirty years ago. Good luck with that program. I’m guessing there’ll be plenty of staging until patrol gives the code 4.

It’s actually come a long way. Lots of midwestern money has moved there or owns second/third homes there. It’s one of my favorite cities now.

Like any urban area it still has some issues/homeless/crime but it’s getting more and more gentrified every day. We built a condo there that was very high end and was sold out before construction finished, and we are about to start another. Lots of great eating spots in and around downtown.

[rob_s]

As I have mentioned before, I`ve never done policing in the US. So I don`t know shit about much of the issues you face over there.
But from my perspective as a member of the bavarian state police: Why not?
As long as there is no crime and no danger to the public, why should police respond to a neighborhood dispute? Or a disorderly juvenile?

When I worked as a patrol officer, I encountered numerous people, who didn`t really need a law enforcement officer. They just needed someone to talk to. I`d been glad to have some social workers respond to this calls.

The onliest problem is: This will not reduce the use of force by police!
Because if you face a violent person, you don`t need social workers. You`ll need armed police officers.

I actually agree. Why not try? There’s probably limited danger to the public, things that turn violent are still going to require the cops, and the people most at risk are the social workers (if they can find any). And I would think that things like a kid bringing a squirt gun to school are the kinds of things LE would prefer not to deal with anyway.

[Hambo]

If I worked patrol there all I would say is, "Thank you, Jesus!" No more doing the job of teachers/parents, no more Narcan calls. If a social worker gets taken hostage or his head chopped off by a guy who's been taking crank for a week, the ROE are clear.