ABSTRACT
Law enforcement is most often the entry point into the criminal justice system for offenders and victims. On the basis of media images of the police, social workers and others perhaps do not realize that crime-fighting tasks do not comprise the majority of police functions. The majority of police calls for service do not require a traditional law enforcement response (e.g., detain, arrest). Police officers spend most of their time responding to social problems. These situations require that police officers provide crisis intervention and mediation. In other instances individuals may require legal or counseling services that police officers can not provide. Consequently, officers refer these individuals to human service or other appropriate agencies. These events create unique opportunities for social workers to collaborate with law enforcement.
