IOWA CITY, Iowa (KWWL) – Through the summer time of 2020, Iowa Metropolis Police confronted loud calls for change from their group.
In December, Metropolis Supervisor Geoff Fruin gave the Preliminary Plan to Restructure the Police Department. The 34 suggestions centered on funding social providers and diverting calls away from police.
A giant a part of this plan was the addition of a psychological well being liaison to co-respond with officers. That place has now been stuffed, and the work is about to start.
Joachim Seelos involves Iowa Metropolis after six years of disaster intervention and youngster welfare work in Kansas Metropolis. He was employed by CommUnity Disaster Providers in July and is now coaching with ICPD.
“I believe we have all been by way of some form of disaster and so it helps me to narrate to what different individuals are going by way of of their lives,” Seelos stated.
Seelos has an workplace at ICPD headquarters and can reply with police to welfare checks, potential suicides and extra. The division hopes to additionally ship him out on calls on his personal.
“We have been making an attempt to have a look at completely different co-responder fashions for a number of years now,” Sgt. Andrew McKnight stated, the top of planning and analysis for ICPD. “We have now to determine the most effective methods to make the most of his abilities, however he is definitely an asset for us.”
Some group members say the brand new place is a step in the direction of higher relations with police, however there may be nonetheless an extended solution to go.
“Psychological well being is such a sensitive and exhausting topic proper now, particularly in the course of the pandemic,” Tony Sivanthapanith stated, a former psychological well being employee and a 15-year resident of Iowa Metropolis. “This can be a step, however I imagine there are various extra steps wanted.”
