Clinton Township Police Chief Dina Caringi speaks at a press conference announcing the coming addition of an embedded social worker at the Clinton Township Police Department Feb. 28.
By: Dean Vaglia | C&G Newspapers | Published March 14, 2025
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — A plan to add a social worker to the Clinton Township Police Department’s headquarters was announced Feb. 28.
The announcement came several days after the Clinton Township Board of Trustees gave its approval to the department to subcontract with CARE of Southeast Michigan to provide a police social worker at the department’s 37985 S. Groesbeck Highway headquarters. The social worker position will be covered by a $675,000 Department of Justice grant awarded in 2023. Funding for the program is set for about the next four years.
Township Supervisor Paul Gieleghem cited Laura Cardamone, former township trustee, as the inspiration behind the police social worker role.
“Laura believed that having someone on the backend with the right training who can call, listen, make assessments and, hopefully, ensure that individuals and families in crisis can receive the care they need by assessing the resources — that are often already available — could have a measurable impact,” Gieleghem said. “We also believe that this program can provide the added bonus of freeing up officers to be able to do what they do best: protecting public safety. But we also know that once they’ve left the scene, someone will be available to follow up and provide assistance.”
The social worker will be employed by CARE, which is currently looking for someone to fill the role. The social worker will be based at the Police Department on a full-time basis.
“(The police social worker) will be embedded, meaning they will be sitting in the Police Department five days a week during a designated (schedule) to be able to support the runs of the police officers, whether it is that person going out to address an issue or the police officers are coming back and saying, ‘Hey, this happened, and this family or this household may benefit from additional support,’” said Dominique Schroeder, CARE chief program officer.
The social worker program is the most recent embedded community partnership made by the Clinton Township Police Department in recent years. The department began working with Mount Clemens-based anti-domestic violence organization Turning Point around four years ago, while representatives from the probation office are available on a weekly basis to provide assistance to residents currently on probation.
“Partnerships are critical to work together to have a positive impact on the community,” Clinton Township Police Chief Dina Caringi said. “The department needs these community partners to ensure we are using all of our resources to problem-solve and to help people live their best lives, and we know that we can’t do it alone.”
Caringi said the social worker may also receive referrals from the Clinton Township Fire Department when it encounters anyone needing assistance.