The “Boots on the Ground” Capstone Celebration aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of the police social work interns (PSWI) embedded in police departments as a response to Connecticut Public Act 20-1 concerning police accountability. Since the foundation of the SWLE Project is police accountability and transparency, each year, in acknowledgment of the contributions that the next generation of police officers and social workers will make in the future, we host our capstone celebration to showcase the important work of students in their internships. Thus, at the end of the academic year, PSWI students provide a brief history of police social work, insight into the specialized SWLE Project training, and present a case highlighting their work within the police department using the nine core competencies in practice as articulated in the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS, 2022), and law enforcement best practices. Statistical evidence collected by students will also be presented. Ultimately through the Boots on the Ground Capstone Celebration, the SWLE Project seeks to bridge communities through education and service over time. In 2022 we were honored to have U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona address our SWLE participants through a special recording. We are grateful for the support of high-level educators, elected officials, and social work and law enforcement professionals, ultimately increasing our visibility in this space.
