Michael Howie

PORTAGE — A new member of the Portage Police Department has hit the ground running to help bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community, particularly for situations involving juveniles, substance use and mental health-related police response.

Morgan Kobitka, 32, started as the department's social worker July 14. It was a full-circle moment of sorts.

"I actually wasn't sure when I was an undergrad if social work was my direction, so I really didn't know what I was going to do with my life, to be honest," Kobitka said.

But she did have an interest in law enforcement. Kobitka interned with the Hobart Police Department, and because of her interest in intelligence, she considered the FBI as a possible career.

After college, she took a job with the Department of Ch

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