Social Worker Program Extends To Help Struggling Bound Brook Residents

BOUND BROOK, NJ — Bound Brook will be the second community in Somerset County to have a bilingual social worker to work with police and residents, officials announced, in an expansion of the Community Police Alliance Coordinator program.

Victor Flores-Lopez, a licensed social worker with a master's degree from Rutgers University, will assist individuals and families who are struggling with mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence and more. He is fluent in Spanish, and has spent his career helping children, families, and communities in various settings, officials said.

The Community Police Alliance program is geared towards supporting individuals and families in the community who have been identified by police, whether because they appear to have acute unmet needs, or have a pattern of behaviors requiring law enforcement intervention. In this role, Flores-Lopez will reach out to these people and families in an effort to keep them out of a crisis situation.

“I am excited to support Bound Brook’s residents and police as the new Community Police Alliance Coordinator, and look forward to making a difference in the lives of local families and individuals,” said Flores-Lopez in a statement. “So often all that is needed to bring positive change to a situation is an open mind, knowledge of local resources, and regular follow up to be sure the help is delivered.”

Council member Dominic Longo, a retired New Jersey State Trooper, said he thinks the Bound Brook community will "benefit greatly" from the additional support.

“I know firsthand the burdens put on our police that are beyond their law enforcement duties," he said. "Having a Licensed Social Worker like Victor to address substance use, mental health, and other issues that don’t need the justice system will significantly benefit our community.”

Bridgewater started the Community Police Alliance pilot program with the county in 2021, welcoming Dameon Stackhouse to work with the local Hispanic community as well as business and municipal leaders.

He has collaborated with the police department to proactively assist the underserved populations in the Bridgewater community, especially with mental health-related calls and residents and those at risk for drug addiction and overdose, homelessness and other potential harms.

Stackhouse will also supervise the expansion to Bound Brook and various other communities, officials added.

“We are thrilled to be expanding the Community Police Alliance to Bound Brook, and to provide both local law enforcement and residents with needed resources,” said Somerset County Commissioner Paul Drake, liaison to the Human Services Department. “Dameon Stackhouse has done an amazing job building CPAC in Bridgewater, and with his leadership I am confident Victor will have a positive impact on Bound Brook as well.”

Officials added that both Stackhouse and Flores-Lopez are county employees under the Department of Human Services; Bridgewater Township approved a cost-sharing agreement with the county for the cost of maintaining Stackhouse's Community Police Alliance Coordinator position earlier this year.