'Police' as parents

Many parents can relate to problems with disciplining a child. A few have even turned to police for help.

• Photos

Regardless of what the call is, or whether it may on face value seem an inappropriate request for police help, law enforcement officials in Brainerd and Crow Wing County don't mind helping out a family in need.

In fact, they view those calls as part of their duty to the public.

Where parents and children can get help

Crow Wing County Social Services: 824-1140.

Circle of Parents: 821-6429.

Crisis Line: 828-HELP.

Bridges of Hope: 825-7682.

Lutheran Social Services: 828-4383 for youth services, 829-5000 family services.

Kinship Partners: 829-4606.

Family Links: 820-5327.

Early Childhood Family Education: 454-5430 in Brainerd, (218) 546-6992 in Crosby and (218) 568-9224 in Pequot Lakes.

Head Start: 829-2410.

Family Service Collaborative: 454-5529.

"Our job is to help solve problems and a lot of times we can do that just by showing up, offering advice, informing the parent and the child of what are legal rules, like if a child wants to pack up and leave home, they can't do that. Or if they are skipping school, they need to know there are consequences," Brainerd Police Chief John Bolduc said.

Though there aren't many of them, every such call that Brainerd officers respond to is taken seriously, even if it winds up not being a police matter, Bolduc said. In those cases, police can assist parents or children in finding services that may help.

Brainerd Police Sgt. Mike Weinhandl (right) led the shift change briefing late Wednesday while officers Brian Brewer (left) and Ray McCollum listened. Among the calls officers are dispatched to on any given night will involve parents who are unable to deal with their children. On such calls, officers act less as law enforcers and more as counselors. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey

In some cases, what may seem a trivial issue between a parent and child is masking underlying problems that need professional intervention, Bolduc said.

"Sometimes it's an odd way to ask for help in a difficult situation," Bolduc said. "That's our job, to go there, sort it out and come with solutions."

At the Crow Wing County sheriff's dispatch center, which handles all 911 calls for the county, dispatchers are not seeing a lot of calls from parents seeking help with their children. Of the calls they do receive, some are for serious matters, such as an out-of-control child, and some are for trivial matters, such as a child who won't get out of bed.

Each call is taken seriously by the dispatchers.

"Look at the parents. If they call 911 they're probably at their wits' end," Scott Heide, sheriff's public safety answering point supervisor, said.

What law enforcement won't do is try to scare a child into behaving, even when a parent requests it. Instead, said Ken Johnson, Crow Wing County sheriff's 911 operations supervisor, law enforcement officers will assist the parent.

"Everybody here has their own kids and we've all been through it at one time or another," Johnson said. "We want to be able to work with these kids, be as much of a friend as the guy down the street."

At that point, officers become counselors, Bolduc said, but it doesn't cost anything to take a few minutes to talk to the kids.

Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl said that help often leads to outside help, such as Crow Wing County Social Services or other community organizations.

Lynda Erickson, child protection unit supervisor with social services, said her office and law enforcement work hand in hand on issues between parents and children.

Issues from child abuse and neglect to a parent desperate for help with a child who won't listen will be handled by social service staff or directed to an outside agency.

"Parenting is a tough job," Erickson said. "Sometimes people feel isolated and are just looking for support, and we have a lot of agencies in our communities that provide support."

MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.