In this episode of Between the Left and a Hard Place, Dean Charles tackles the debate surrounding police reform, focusing on the center-left position regarding cops and social workers. With the far left calling for the defunding of police and the replacement of officers with social workers, Dean clarifies that the center-left position is far more nuanced. Instead of abolishing the police, he advocates for better, more effective policing alongside the support of social workers for specific cases.

Through discussions with cops and social workers across the country, Dean explores the complexities of this issue, including the challenges of addressing mental illness, addiction, and homelessness. He delves into the potential benefits of combining social work with law enforcement training, highlighting the importance of safety while addressing societal issues.

The conversation is a call to think pragmatically about the future of policing in America—balancing law enforcement with the social support needed to address underlying issues, without sacrificing safety or allowing for anarchy.

In This Episode:

• [00:00:00] Introduction to the debate on cops vs. social workers

• [00:01:00] Center-left position: Good policing, better policing

• [00:02:00] Trust between cops and the public, and the importance of safety

• [00:03:00] Insights from cops about time spent on mental illness, addiction, and homelessness

• [00:04:00] Can social workers and cops collaborate? A possible solution: Social worker-to-cop program

• [00:05:00] Challenges of social workers in violent situations and the need for proper training

• [00:06:00] The socialist view of defunding the police vs. pragmatic solutions

• [00:07:00] The future of policing: Triaging 9-1-1 calls and better resources for social workers

• [00:08:00] Funding and budget considerations for police reform programs

• [00:09:00] Final thoughts: A balanced approach to policing and social work

• [00:10:00] Invitation to join the conversation: What’s the center-left approach?

Notable Quotes:

• [00:02:10] “Trust is key—cops feel like the public has lost faith in them.” — Dean Charles

• [00:04:50] “The solution isn’t to defund the police, it’s to improve policing with the help of social workers.” — Dean Charles

• [00:06:25] “We need social workers who are trained for potential violence, not just idealists.” — Dean Charles

• [00:07:00] “Safety is paramount. Without safety, we can’t have the society we’re all striving for.” — Dean Charles

• [00:09:15] “A social worker-to-cop program could be the pragmatic middle ground we need.” — Dean Charles

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