Council discusses social workers, comfort dog at budget meeting

STERLING HEIGHTS — The importance and role of social work in the Sterling Heights Police Department and beyond was a topic of discussion and debate during the April 11 Sterling Heights City Council meeting on a proposed 2023-2024 budget.

During the meeting, police Chief Dale Dwojakowski discussed the things that the city’s social worker, Amy Compton, has done recently.

Compton is the city’s first social worker. That position was first budgeted in the 2021-2022 budget.

Officials said Compton has handled 274 cases so far, including 76 for elder protection, 50 for mental health, 31 for family issues, 30 for homeless services, 25 for domestic violence and 24 for hoarding.

“We didn’t know what to expect. We didn’t know what was going to happen,” Dwojakowski said. “And here we are over a year later, and it’s been a success.”

Currently, Compton’s position is a civilian one within the Police Department’s Community Service Unit, though Dwojakowski said she also has worked alongside the Fire Department, City Hall and more.

During the meeting, some council members such as Councilman Henry Yanez discussed the idea of promoting the social worker position to a director level position.

“She’s done a director’s work, and she’s getting paid a social worker rate,” Yanez said. “When we first talked about this a couple years ago, I brought up that I felt that the social worker should report directly to the city manager.”

In the 2023-2024 proposed budget, the social worker position’s salary ranges from $54,337 to $68,152.

Mayor Michael Taylor did not support the council playing a role in changing the administration’s organizational structure, adding that the city manager is the head of that. He cited the city charter in his argument.

“Administrative powers include hiring, firing, the organizational chart, where these employees are going to work, who they’re going to report to,” Taylor said. “It shall be the duty of the city manager to supervise and coordinate the work of the administrative officers and the departments of the city. That’s his role. That’s not our role.”

Assistant City Manager Jeff Bahorski called Compton a “superstar” but said promoting the social worker to a director position could be “problematic” because the current job description doesn’t lead to a director position.

During the meeting, Finance and Budget Director Jennifer Varney said the proposed 2023-2024 budget could also allocate funding toward a second full-time social worker. The proposed budget would allocate $90,420 toward that — city spokeswoman Melanie Davis said that includes employee benefits — and adds that the role will “focus on substance abuse issues.” Varney added that the position could be funded by money the city gets from an opioid settlement, which was made in 2021.

Councilwoman Maria Schmidt welcomed the news.

“It’s amazing, and to think that we were probably one of the first cities in Michigan to get one (a social worker),” Schmidt said. “And we knew when we created that position, I think at the last budget, we all talked about (how) one is not going to be nearly enough. And here we are, you know, with our second one, and I would anticipate that there could be more.”

After the meeting, Dwojakowski said in an emailed statement that the department has been fortunate to have a full-time social worker to support residents, and he commented on the proposal to obtain a second one.

“Even on short runs, there are times when it’s essential that our social worker conducts follow-up with someone suffering from a mental health condition,” he said. “The addition of a second full-time social worker will allow us to engage in even more cases and help those that need additional support.

“I believe by adding this second full-time social worker, we can ensure people in crisis get the treatment, support and resources they need while also reducing the number of 911 calls we receive which can free up our officers to engage in other important patrols.”

 

Therapeutic police dog a possibility
Another therapeutic initiative that the Police Department plans to pursue is acquiring a comfort dog, Dwojakowski said during the meeting.

Dwojakowski said many police departments have comfort dogs.

“It’s definitely not a canine that’s used for tracking and aggression work, but this is a different program,” he said. “It’s to provide comfort for people that need emotional support. The dog gets specialty training to become a therapy dog.”

Dwojakowski said comfort dogs are often used internally in police stations because being a police officer is a tough job.

“These officers come to work every single day. They have to deal with some of the worst things that humanity has to offer,” Dwojakowski explained. “Everyone loves a dog, and they love it when that dog walks to the office area. So if this can bring some joy and some peace to our officers, I’m a hundred percent for it.”

Dwojakowski added that the comfort dog could also attend community police events and could be a soothing presence for crime victims or for children who have to give testimony.

Dwojakowski said the department doesn’t have a dog yet, and he supported having a naming contest once the department gets one.

“I want something that doesn’t shed, hypoallergenic and medium-sized, so I don’t want a small, basket dog,” the chief said.

Multiple council members praised the idea, and Councilman Michael Radtke said he thought “it would be a real boon to the department.”

Mayor Pro Tem Liz Sierawski thought a golden retriever would be the best pick, despite being a shedding dog.

“They’re the best, most loving dogs,” she said.

According to the city’s website, another City Council budget workshop was slated for April 25, followed by a scheduled May 1 budget adoption vote.

Learn more about Sterling Heights by visiting www.sterling-heights.net or by calling (586) 446-2489.