Comments by "chaosXpert" (@chaosXP3RT) on "Denver Is Sending Social Workers Instead of Cops to Some 911 Calls" video.

  1. If you or someone is going through a crisis or an argument or a panic attack, etc. you shouldn't have to worry that the responding police officers are going to find some reason to arrest your or harass you. That's messed up. The sight of the police shouldn't be "oh no, how is this gonna end?" Police should be a sign of comfort in dangerous situations and a feeling of guilt when you get caught breaking the law! Police officers often go into situations knowing that they could be harassed or attacked at any moment. Part of that is because of the reputation they've built/received in the USA, but part of that is also their training for interacting with witnesses, potential suspects and criminals. That is not a good mentality going into an interaction with someone in crisis or in need of social help. Cops expect people to be hostile. Cops expect a confrontation and a fight. And knowing how the USA is rampant with guns, I think cops are somewhat justified. Especially considering their training. Even without guns involved, many times, people do not like seeing the police and are anxious about interacting with them. Cops are trained in interactions with the public where ultimately the goal is to get information and co-operation so they can investigate crimes, make arrests (or issue citations) and protect people. In general, cops don't want their time wasted on something they have no idea how to deal with. For an example, a homeless person in crisis is thinking about how the cop could arrest them, injure them or kill them. So many times you hear "why did they run? They didn't do anything wrong." That's why. They're scared. Cops are often not trained to react to someone scared of them. They're expecting at best someone annoyed with them and at worst, someone who will kill them. A cop approaching a homeless person in crisis is worried about getting stabbed, punched, poked with a needle, and having to talk to someone uncooperative. The officer may not know why he's been called to the scene, but he knows he's expected to solve it. On the other hand, a social worker, like paramedics are almost seen as friends and people with resources to help. Not only are they unarmed, but they actually are going to scenes looking to be friendly and help. It's the job they go to school for. The genuinely want to help and are given the resources to do so. Even if they don't have the resources, often times they know how to get the resources. I think EMS should be reformed to include more social workers and mental crisis response teams as we grow to understand the needs of our communities more and also as technology evolves. In the past, a cop was good enough for patrolling or responding to an emergency about a crime or act of violence. However, in modern times, we have more cameras, better communication and better documentation to better understand developing situations. A new class of Emergency Services is needed.
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