Our Stories: Martez Warren
Martez Warren understands police officers will encounter all kinds of people, but it’s his job as the co-responder social worker and community engagement manager to ensure repeat offenders in Flint get the help they need.
For those with a history of mental health, housing, or employment gaps, the focus is on providing assistance rather than an arrest, Warren said.
It’s easy to just make an arrest, but Warren’s job digs beneath the surface to address root issues community members may be facing without the support they need.
“What has been discovered is that we can't bring a solution by simply arresting people,” Warren explained. “When I meet with a person, I’ll do a needs assessment to find out what's going on, what their triggers are, and what's causing them to get in trouble. What we're really looking for are the drivers of crime.”
Since May of 2025, Warren has assisted 10 to 15 people with finding jobs and another 10 with getting housing in Flint.
By prioritizing this approach, “It cuts down the recidivism rate of the people that the officers encounter on a daily basis,” noted Warren, a Flint native who has been in social work since getting degrees from UM-Flint and Wayne State University.
The biggest example of his work is at the River Village Apartment complex. Located directly across the street from the Flint campus, Warren galvanized some professors to tutor children, and parents asked for enhanced lighting, security, and jobs.
“Since we've been there, we've provided those things, children are now being tutored, grades are going up, families are reuniting and are now engaged in or better engaged in the services that are needed,” Warren said. “From the community aspect, the services we are providing are literally changing a generation. (We are) changing a community and a neighborhood for the better.
“One of the things that we're not seeing anymore is recidivism. Officers are still making arrests, but they're not arresting the same people they were prior to this. It’s really changing the game.”
Recidivism is the tendency for suspects to reoffend, and with the rate going down, Warren hopes his initiatives will gain traction with other units and that he can expand his work in Flint to the other U-M campuses.
“I'm hoping that our other police forces (and) other colleges will see what we're doing, and they will pick up on it,” Warren said. “It’s really meeting people where they are. When you're able to meet a person where they are, you're better able to get a better result in assisting them.
“It goes beyond just policing or community organization or community service. It's literally developing relationships with people and trust.”