PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. — The Pleasant Prairie Village Board on Monday, October 13, 2025, approved bringing a full-time Kenosha County social worker into the Pleasant Prairie Police Department to ride with officers on mental-health calls, conduct follow-ups, and train staff on stronger suicide-risk checks. The partnership with Kenosha County Behavioral Health Services is expected to launch later this year.
Funding and Timeline
The position is funded by a $75,000 State of Wisconsin grant, with the Village contributing $34,794 from its Opioid Settlement funds. Implementation is slated to begin before year’s end, with the social worker based inside the police department.
What the Social Worker Will Do
The embedded clinician will co-respond with officers to mental-health calls, immediately assess risk, connect residents to services, and provide follow-up support for people identified as at risk. The role also includes training PPPD officers to strengthen wellness checks and suicide-screening protocols.
Why It Matters
Officials say similar county co-response work with the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office has already shown better de-escalation, stronger service connections, and less strain on emergency systems. Pleasant Prairie’s program is meant to localize and expand those gains within the Village.
Chief’s Statement
Chief David Smetana said the partnership brings behavioral-health expertise directly to first responders, allowing for “immediate assessment, support, and connection to ongoing care,” and framing the move as an “important step toward improving community safety and wellness.”
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9 Responses
This is great. Good on you PPPD
Waste of money.
Agree waste of tax dollars next thing is they want one for each shift and next weekend staff total of 10 or more water of money.
waste not water in above comment
Will this only be available for suicidal people Monday-Friday 8-4pm? Any helpful service to assist with police resources and the mentally ill is great, but people are mentally ill 24 hours a day if they are impacted by it.
First they give you the grant money, then they take it away, figuring you will keep the position filled. Needed Yes
The hug police doesn’t work, it’s been proven to be of no use. Just ask Lake County
This seems like a great program. I hope it works.
how vague. where are the numbers for this effectiveness of the county person to justify expanding the duplication of systems