When I hear about another case of police brutality, my first feeling is grief; for the victim, for their family, for a system that keeps failing us. My second feeling is complicated: because when I’m afraid, I still call 911.
That tension is exactly why police reform matters. It’s not about choosing between safety and justice. It’s about demanding both. Too many officers are placed into situations they aren’t equipped for: at least 20% of police calls involve a mental health or substance use crisis, a number that keeps growing; yet most officers receive little to no training for it.
As a social work student, I believe the answer isn’t to abandon law enforcement; it’s to better equip it. Co-responder programs, which pair officers with mental health clinicians, are evidence-based and effective. In Colorado, co-responder teams handled over 25,900 calls in one year and avoided arrests in 98% of them. Salt Lake City already has a model worth expanding: the SLCPD’s Community Connection Team pairs social workers and clinicians with CIT detectives to respond to 911 calls together.
Utah legislators should invest in growing these programs statewide. Our communities deserve officers who protect everyone — not just some of us.
Maria Laura Jorges, Salt Lake City