Eden Prairie Police Department steps up its commitment to community support by welcoming a new social worker to its ranks, as reported by the EPPD blog. Caitlin Hurley, joining a pioneering program that kicked off in 2022, is set to further the department's mission in connecting residents with critical support services. With both the City and Hennepin County at the financial helm, the hiring illuminates a collaborative effort in bolstering public safety through non-traditional means.
Having embraced the role of the department's social worker since last week, Hurley brings an extensive background in social work, journeying through clients' lives at various institutions, including the Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services and the MN Psychoanalytic Society and Institute’s Psychotherapy Center. Reporting having started as a senior social worker for Hennepin County in 2023, she contributed to communities like Bloomington and Maple Grove, to name a few, before her step over to the EPPD.
Her educational foundation was cemented at the University of Minnesota, where she attained a bachelor's degree in sociology of law, criminology, and deviance. Following this, the University of St. Thomas/St. Catherine awarded Hurley a master's degree in social work, equipping her with a framework to approach the varying complexities within community services.
According to the EPPD blog, Hurley's addition to the force is set to work in tandem with Molly Mitley, Eden Prairie's inaugural social worker, who has been a fixture in the department since 2022. Armed with her seven-year tenure at Methodist Hospital, her experience is anticipated to weave seamlessly with the fabric of Mitley's ongoing projects, enriching the EPPD's outreach and ameliorative capabilities.
The Eden Prairie Police Department and the larger community have their hands extended in welcome to Caitlin Hurley, emphasizing an earnest pursuit to connect individuals to the support they require, thus reinforcing the notion that public safety is not solely the domain of the police officer, but also of those who wield empathy and understanding as their tools. For more insight into the department’s initiatives, residents and interested readers can head to the EPPD's official blog for updates.
