“Domestic violence training Utah police receive needs revision” (Feb. 25), amply makes its point: Domestic violence is complicated and often subtle.
And yes, police officers should have the best available training. But the depth of understanding required is unrealistic for police officers. Not because they are incapable of it but because it is not their job.
The situation calls for specially trained social workers to be part of every domestic violence response team. But gee, wouldn’t that cost money? Yes, it would.
Can’t the police just handle it?
Try a little thought experiment: Start with a social worker and now train him or her to be a regular duty police officer. That’s not impossible and it might even be ideal, but it’s the long way around to a solution.
If we’re serious about responding to and preventing domestic violence, we will ante up and send professionally prepared teams, not expecting cops to fix it for us on the cheap.
Henry Whiteside, Salt Lake City