My Experience With a Police "Welfare Check"

[daredtowork]

18. Why a cop?

I think it's great to follow up on a patient whose health is poor. But why is a cop doing this? He is not a trained medical professional. He is not trained in psychological or peer counseling. All he is trained in is exhibiting an authoritative presence for social control, putting suspected criminals under arrest, and dealing with crime scenes.

Society is inserting cops where cops shouldn't be because of the lack of local community services.

In small towns, churches used to provide this sort of social glue. I don't think it's appropriate that churches continue to play this role in a secular society because it places pressure on people to adhere to particular faiths just because they are poor and in need. But secular society needs to STEP UP and start putting together some community institutions to take over those old pastoral functions. COPS ARE NO SUBSTITUTE.

Cops, however well-meaning they might be, rip apart communities rather than build them up.