Newark welcomes social workers to police department

Advocates say bringing in social workers is just a start

Newark is taking a new approach to the way it handles some emergencies. The city welcomed 10 social workers to its police department during a ceremony Wednesday for its latest officer recruits. The goal is to include social workers in responding to nonviolent calls to prevent them from escalating.

Advocates want the city to make more resources available to the community, hoping to prevent confrontations with police in the first place.

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