Police Social Worker

Outreach Police Social Worker

The City of East Lansing occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.

The East Lansing Police Department seeks an Outreach Police Social Worker to assist homeless individuals within the City. This civilian position focuses on connecting the unhoused population to appropriate resources, basic needs, and housing, and serves as a liaison between the police department and social service resources.

East Lansing is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The City of East Lansing is committed to becoming a fully inclusive place to live, work, visit, and do business. We believe an organization functions at its highest ability when a shared culture that promotes accepting, respecting, and valuing differences—including attributes such as age, income, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, sexual identity, ability, language, family circumstances, and cultural backgrounds—is fostered.

• Conduct street‐outreach and engagement with homeless persons sleeping on streets, in encampments, or other unsanitary locations.
• Conduct initial housing screenings, assessing and prioritizing need.
• Provide linkage and advocacy to help clients access basic needs.
• Serve as a liaison to the Downtown District Authority (DDA).
• Conduct outreach with community organizations and private parties on issues such as substance abuse, homelessness, and mental health.
• Ability to testify in court when required under subpoena.
• Serve as a subject‑matter expert for relevant community initiatives, boards, commissions, and work groups.
• Maintain accurate and compliant electronic records in adherence to agency requirements.
• Assist police officers via crisis intervention and de‑escalation techniques in the field.
• Act as a liaison between the police department and social service resources.
• Work non‑traditional hours—including afternoons, evenings, and weekends.
• Complete needs assessments for target population clients.
• Provide transportation and advocacy to help clients access documents aiding housing acquisition.
• Work independently or in a team environment.
• Learn and utilize necessary programs for this position.
• Prior experience with the Michigan Homeless Management Information System is preferred but not required.
• Strong organizational, collaborative, and interpersonal skills for effective client and community engagement.
• Other duties as assigned by the direct supervisor.

• Master's degree in social work is required.
• Possession of an appropriate State of Michigan credential is required (LMSW, LLMSW) or must have been applied for and be able to obtain within 60 days of hire.
• At least two years of training or experience working with a person living with a mental health diagnosis is preferred.

• Submission of a Police Department (Non‑Police) Employment Application.
• Completion of a Police Department Personal History Questionnaire.