Camden police are now deploying social workers to city streets
Social workers are teaming up with Camden County police in Camden to address the city's mental and social service needs. It's part of the city's "guardian" approach to policing.
As soon as social worker Lyzza Tyson stepped onto the sidewalk with a clipboard and free hygiene bags, a small crowd lined up.
Tyson, a social worker deployed with the Camden County Police Department, spends her days knocking on doors, visiting homeless encampments, and seeking to help at-risk youth.
Known as the Village Initiative, the unit she’s a part of launched in January 2024 to address quality-of-life issues in Camden that could escalate into confrontations with law enforcement.
The unit also has an office and station inside the police department on Federal Street, staffed by four counselors and two peer specialists who handle walk-ins and those needing services.
On a recent hot summer day, Tyson did a ride-along with police in Waterfront South on a stretch of Broadway, a major thoroughfare in the city of 70,000 people. She conducted needs assessments as her presence attracted curiosity seekers from the Waterfront Rain Gardens park.
“You have to meet them at their point of desperation,” said Police Capt. Vivian Coley, the department’s community outreach commander who oversees the Village Initiative. “It’s no longer just an officer coming to your door.”
The roving unit seeks to offer help for those dealing with mental health-related issues, homelessness, substance abuse, prostitution, sex work, and other problems, Coley said. The social workers are better trained than police officers to handle those who may be in crisis or struggling, she said.
The program is believed to be the largest program of its type in South Jersey, said Dan Keashen, a police spokesperson. Camden has gained national attention in recent years with its shift to a “guardian” mentality of policing.
Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, called the program “the way of the future” for policing.
“Sometimes police are needed. Sometimes social workers are needed. Sometimes you need both,” said Wexler. “It’s a win-win for the community.”
Camden was among the first departments in the country to implement training known as ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics), developed by the Police Executive Research Forum. It provides de-escalation training and techniques for people in crisis.
“This is a natural progression for Camden,” said Wexler. “This just says a lot to me about Camden providing social services to the next level.”
Wexler said he hopes Philadelphia will eventually join hundreds of other departments that have adopted the program.
In Philadelphia, a program launched in 2022 pairs trained officers with mental health and social workers to respond to 911 calls and other crises. The Crisis Intervention Response Team was formed after the death of Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man experiencing a mental health crisis who was shot and killed by police outside his West Philadelphia home in 2020.
» READ MORE: Can Philadelphia transform its police force from ‘warriors’ to ‘guardians’? This de-escalation training could help.
Offering services
On a recent day, Tyson, under contract with the department from the nonprofit Center for Family Services, approached Tammy, 49, who asked that her last name not be used due to the stigma associated with homelessness. Tammy said she was on a waiting list for housing that would allow her boyfriend to live with her.
“I’m not going in without him,” she told Tyson.
Tammy welcomed the assistance from Tyson, who agreed to look into housing for her. She accepted a hygiene bag before disappearing in the park.
“I’ve been trying to get off the streets for two years,” she said. “This is the closest I’ve gotten. Everywhere I went, I got turned down.”
Within minutes, three others stood before Tyson seeking information. She offered them a ride to a nearby center where they could obtain immediate services. No one accepted.
“It’s hit or miss,” Tyson said. “Until they’re ready, there’s nothing you can do.”
One woman asked for an extra bottle of cold water. Coley asked her where she sleeps. She replied, “Anywhere I can.”
Coley tried unsuccessfully to sign her up for services. A 28-year veteran of the police force, she said the encounters can be stressful.
“God bless you, honey,” she told the woman. “It’s always breaking my heart.”
The biggest challenge faced by the social workers and police is gaining trust, said Lt. Luis Gonzalez. Some are fearful they may be U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, he said.
“Before we used to chase them around,” said Gonzalez. “We had to tell them, ‘We’re here to help you.’”
There have been success stories, too, like a sex worker the unit approached at least seven or eight times, Tyson said. She finally left the streets and sought drug treatment.
“It’s sad,” said Tyson. “All you can do is offer, or you’re going to stress yourself.”
According to Keashen, at least 457 people have voluntarily committed to seeking social assistance services. Service calls for someone having a mental or behavioral health crisis dropped to 1,913 in 2024, from 3,243 in 2023, he said.
An emphasis on community policing
The Village Initiative was started in 2020 by Police Chief Gabriel Rodriguez and includes 10 programs, including Open Gym, held on Friday nights to give city youngsters a safe and fun place to play. Social services are also available for children and parents.
The department has put more emphasis on community policing since the municipal force was disbanded in 2013 and reconfigured as a countywide department.
Crisscrossing the nine-square-mile city for several hours in a black SUV one day earlier this month, Coley was on the lookout for anything unusual, such as trash piling up or a crowd on a corner. She made notes for follow-up.
The team designates days and locations for their outreach, often based on nuisance complaints from residents. They are summoned to clear city parks, for example, where people experiencing homelessness often linger after dark.
Earlier that day, Tyson was called to the lobby in the police headquarters to assess a disoriented man who walked into the building. He was transported by EMTs to Cooper Hospital.
After their stop in Waterfront South, Tyson and the team stopped in East Camden and handed out care packages on Federal Street.
Kyle, 34, who declined to give his last name, asked for help finding housing. It was his second encounter with Tyson, and that may motivate him to follow up on a housing application, he said. He said he had been living on the streets for about a year.
“This is really good for me. It gave a push for me,” he said.