Social Workers Now Assisting Levittown-Area Police Departments

LEVITTOWN, PA — Bucks County police departments continue to grow their partnerships with social workers in an effort to shift their methods of dealing with those in need of social services as opposed to traditional policing practices.

In a news statement published by the Bucks County government's website, officials announced that two new social workers will begin working with police departments in Bristol Township, Bristol Borough, and Tullytown Borough.

Fetiye “Tia” Kazee and Keevon Johnson were appointed as co-responders to work with the aforementioned police departments. They will work with law enforcement on behalf of the Human Services Co-Responders program.

“We are so fortunate to partner with police leadership to bring our co-responder initiative to three more communities,” Rachael Neff, director of the county’s Human Services Division, said in the statement published by the Bucks County government. “Keevon and Tia are excellent additions to our ever-growing Human Services Co-Responder team.”

The program is also utilizing co-responders in other Bucks County townships and boroughs, including Bensalem, Falls, and Middletown Townships. The later two townships began work with the program back in December.

Co-responders like Kazee and Johnson will help police officers by reducing the amount of time they spend on calls not related to a serious crime. Many of the calls co-responders handle involve people with mental health issues who are involved in non-criminal activities. The program, which was launched in Bucks County in December of 2020, saw its first hiring of co-responders to aid officers in the Bensalem Police Department.

“Keevon and Tia are highly qualified for these positions, and we are thrilled to have them on the team,” Bristol Township police Lt. Ralph Johnson said in the statement. “There is maximum potential for success as we move forward with this addition to our policing toolbox.”