What started as a pilot internship in 2020 with two Eastern Connecticut State University students and the Willimantic Police Department has evolved into a multi-state collaboration that serves as a national model by implementing comprehensive training, progressive partnerships, and a collaboration of professionals who are truly dedicated to social justice and helping our communities. Through education, training, and research, our goal is to prepare social workers for the emerging field of police social work by connecting the communities we serve with necessary resources and preventing them from experiencing a crisis or entering into the criminal justice system unnecessarily. The ability to establish a strong support network that includes crisis intervention, follow-ups, and long-term care allows us to address community needs in an ethical and professional way.

The SWLE Project has developed beyond the pilot internship to include an umbrella of social work and law enforcement services. These services include workforce development, the SWLE Network, and the SWLE Associates, LLC. Under workforce development you will find information about our signature training, the Police Social Work Academy, internship opportunities, the Boots on the Ground Capstone Celebration, and most recently the SWLE Project National Police Social Work Conference.