Editor’s Note: This week’s PoliceOne First Person essay is from PoliceOne Member Matthew Steihm, who writes that if there is a good working relationship with social services, strategic partnerships can be developed to reduce child abuse in your community. In PoliceOne “First Person” essays, our Members and Columnists candidly share their own unique view of the world. This is a platform from which individual officers can share their own personal insights on issues confronting cops today, as well as opinions, observations, and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. If you want to share your own perspective with other P1 Members, simply send us an e-mail with your story.
By Matthew Steihm
Police1 Member
In law enforcement we are entrusted with many noble tasks. One of which is protecting those who cannot protect themselves.
However, sometimes we lose.
When I was a young officer I lost a child abuse case, affecting me personally. I lost sleep, and yes even cried.
Investigations
As a result of this loss, I wanted to ensure that the criminal justice system never fail another child. Does this mean that we law enforcement professionals are perfect and we will never lose a case?
The answer is no! We must review our protocols and standard of practices on how we respond and investigate child abuse claims.
We must remember that children are truly innocent, their hearts are pure, and they give their parents unconditional love, even when their parents do very harmful and shameful things in the name of love or punishment.
Children cannot defend themselves, so we must stand in the gap, protect them and ensure that no harm comes to them. So with this I encourage you to investigate every claim of child abuse with the full zeal and authority of your office.
Lower-level crimes of child abuse (misdemeanor) are overlooked for a variety of reasons. This is why we must collaborate with other professionals such as social services, schools and doctors. With a team approach we can effectively defend the future generations.
To ensure that your investigation is thorough please keep in mind some of the following things:
• Check the kitchen for fresh food to include fruits, vegetables, and milk dates
• Check the bathrooms for cleanliness and access to medications
• Check laundry rooms for the presence of clean cloths
• Keep and check records as it relates to school attendance
The checklist can be utilized as most state laws require some basic general quality of life, medical attention, and education, while there is no provision for “love,” a parent needs to provide those aforementioned basic things.
Partnerships
As law enforcement professionals sometimes (ok, always) we are distrustful of social services and other investigator bodies, because they are not cops. But they should be utilized as a resource to work hand and hand in child abuse investigations. For example, if the family knows that there are two investigative agencies watching them, they might comply with best practices and court orders.
If there is a good working relationship with social services, strategic partnerships can be developed to reduce child abuse in your community. This should lead to people starting to do the right thing and report suspected child abuse. Partnerships take time to develop.
Conclusion
It is your duty to do the right thing, especially when it comes to children; to protect them, to help them, to provide guidance. Look to the future for more articles dealing with child abuse investigations, as we have to have to be accurate and complete in these investigations, to protect the children.
