MIRAMAR, Fla. – In most cases police agencies will outsource social workers, but in the case of the Miramar Police Department, they now have their own social worker embedded in their department.
“I am not a police officer,” said Miramar PD social worker Saran Earle-Cunningham. “I am not a uniform officer.”
Earle-Cunningham is the first social worker to be embedded in a police department in the state of Florida.
“I am there to show the compassionate part and so we can effectively address those complex issues,” she said.
Earle-Cunningham’s position is one that was spearheaded by Miramar Vice Mayor Alexandra Davis and federally funded with a $100,000 grant for its first year back in March of 2023.
Its then she saw the need for a social worker in a city where she said most calls don’t necessarily require the enforcement of law and order.
“Mental illness or it could be dementia, it could be missing juveniles,” said Davis. “These cases don’t necessarily require the full force of the law.”
That’s where Earle-Cunningham steps in.
Since December of 2023, she has responded to more than 300 calls.
“Missing persons, runaway juveniles, social needs,” she said.
Recently, Local 10 News’ Roy Ramos was able to join Earle-Cunningham on a ridealong to see her performing her duties with residents.
She received a call from a mother needing assistance with her teenage son.
After making sure her SUV was stocked with the essentials she hands out on a daily basis, Earle-Cunningham was off.
In her unmarked unit, in plain clothes, she arrived to the home of Sofia Roper.
Police had been there previously to help with her 14-year-old son who was not listening to his mother.
This was a follow-up call.
While there, Earle-Cunningham spoke with Roper to find out what she can do to assist he situation while a Miramar police officer observed from a distance.
“I think he is missing his dad,” Roper said of her son. “His dad is not involved in his life and because of that he feels resentment.”
While Roper worried her son may lose his way, she told Ramos she found comfort in knowing workers like Earle-Cunningham not only cared, but where there to help.
“Sometimes you, as a parent, mother and dad, they’re not listening to you, so sometimes you have to have the cops come out with the social worker and sit down and implement a strategy,” said Roper.
In this case, Roper’s son mentioned wanting to play soccer, so Earle-Cunningham was able to provide his mother with a grant and help him sign up to the Police Athletic League soccer team.
As for Davis, she said the program has been working so well she is now working to obtain more grants to fund another social worker position.