Radnor police Community Support Unit having positive impact in how calls are handled

Radnor Township Police are working to change the way officers respond to calls. The department's Community Support Unit is already having a positive impact, handling over 200 calls in the first five months.

Isabel Cook and Officer Nick Rentos may not look like typical partners, but they make a terrific team. Isabel is a licensed social worker and part of the department’s new unit.

"Just within the last few years, there have been a lot of things that happened that created distrust and lots of feelings around that relationship, so I think having a social worker can kind of bridge that gap, can be the liaison between law enforcement and the community," Cook explained.

The unit is made up of four specifically trained police officers, a police sergeant in charge and Isabel. Most of their calls, so far, either domestic or mental health related.

"We can provide crisis intervention, de-escalation. What I found is a lot of people just want to be heard," Cook said.

"It’s been great having Isabel along. She’s made my job so much easier," Officer Rentos added. "We get to the call, make sure the scene is safe."

And then Cook, who is dressed in regular clothes, comes in and helps those involved feel at ease.

Rentos continued, "I understand it. You have five police officers in uniforms sitting there trying to ask questions at you."

Police Superintendent Chris Flannagan says having a unit like this is critical and really the wave of the future. "Try to help before an incident becomes police-related, or you need an ambulance, or it’s gone too far. I think responsible police departments monitor the trends and monitor the needs of the community."

Radnor CSU recently responded to a domestic situation, with Isabel using her expertise to connect the family with services they didn’t know about.

"She was very thankful for our presence in being there, because it could have turned into a more hostile situation," Cook said. "I think being able to have us there and talk through it really made a difference."

Cook will also be using her expertise in the future to help with officer wellness, provide her police officer peers with helpful resources to help deal with the stress of the job.

Delaware CountyNews