SWLE Project

Join us at the 5th Annual National Conference on Police Social Work.

From April 22-24, SWLE Associates held the second Connecticut Methods of Instruction/Instructor Development Train-the-Trainer class at the New Britain Police Department. This POSTC-approved curriculum was created and co-taught by Lieutenant Matthew Solak (Willimantic Police Department) and Lieutenant Tom Wardowski (Milford Police Department), and featured an adult learning roundtable discussion with professors from the University of Connecticut and Southern Connecticut State University. Attendees completed this rigorous training with immersive capstone presentations on officer wellness, police recruitment efficacy studies, and adult learning pedagogy. In June, this cohort will be assisting with teaching the full MOI curriculum at the Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden and will become eligible to apply to become MOI instructors.

We would like to thank for hosting us. We would also like to thank , , , , , Coventry PD, and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Police Department for sending experienced officers to this phenomenal class.

SWLE Associates will be expanding with additional law enforcement training opportunities this year, so check back for details on classes soon!

Registration for the 4th Annual National Conference on Police Social Work is open!
Join us May 27-29 at Southern Connecticut State University by registering here: https://lnkd.in/eqmbgGCj

On Tuesday, March 11th 2025 the founders of the Social Work and Law Enforcement Project, Dr. Isabel Logan and Lieutenant Matthew Solak, testified before the Connecticut General Assembly Public Safety and Security Committee in support of House Bill 7202. The is important bill, raised by Representative Jillian Gilchrist ( D- West Hartford) who is a social worker, and Representative Greg Howard ( R-Stonington) who is a police officer, aims to elevate and sustain training programs for police officers and social workers through partnerships with the Connecticut State University system. Dr. Logan and Lieutenant Solak were honored to present before the committee, and look forward to continuing to support this important legislation”

You can view the Press Conference with Representative Gilchrist and Representative Howard at (https://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=24493)

Yesterday we completed our two day session on Police and Social Work Partnerships. This training, hosted by Bridgeport Police Department, brought together law enforcement and social work professionals from multiple agencies and highlighted how social workers can enhance officers’ ability to respond effectively to crises while simultaneously strengthening trust and transparency within the community.

Participants gained valuable insights into de-escalation, mental health crisis intervention, connecting individuals with the appropriate care and resources through informative instruction, open and honest conversations, and innovative planning towards collaboration. The integration of social workers into law enforcement empowers officers to address the root cause of issues, reduce recidivism, and connect community members with necessary services.

A special thanks to Chief Porter and Deputy CAO Reyes for their leadership and support in making this initiative possible. Their commitment to collaboration between social services and law enforcement continues to drive meaningful progress in crisis response, and we look forward to working together on the next chapter!

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier of the Connecticut State Police, who tragically lost his life while serving and protecting his community. Rest in Peace, Trooper Pelletier. Your sacrifice and service will never be forgotten.

As the Third Annual National Conference on Police Social Work comes to an end, we would like to sincerely thank all of our attendees, national partners, our platinum sponsor , and our phenomenal host for a fantastic three days of great discussions, networking, and continuing to bridge the professions of social work and law enforcement. We hope to see everyone again next year!

The Social Work and Law Enforcement Project team would like to acknowledge and honor our police partners during Police Week 2024, which is celebrated annually to honor law enforcement officers across the country, and commemorate those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting and serving their communities. Since it’s inception in 2020, the SWLE Project has been dedicated to supporting law enforcement officers and communities by advancing the field of police social work, and we are proud to have an amazing team of police officers and social workers working side by side every day in our Project. We are honored to work with Police Departments across the country, and our law enforcement partners are an essential part of our success.

The SWLE Project Team would also like to honor Hartford (Connecticut) Police Detective Robert “Bobby” Garten , who was tragically killed on September 6th, 2023 in a motor vehicle accident while on duty when his vehicle was struck by a suspect fleeing the scene of another traffic stop. Detective Garten’s name will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. during this week’s Memorial Services.

Less than one month until the Third Annual National Conference on Police Social Work!