The Lubbock Police Department launched a Homeless Outreach Team (H.O.T) in February to help address homeless issues within the city and since then, the team has been busy across the city.
The team is made up, currently, of three officers and they predominantly focus on downtown Lubbock, but they are working across the city.
Their police cars are now marked with the words ‘homeless outreach team’ as a way to help identify the officers when they show up.
“When we first got started back in February, we would drive to a place where the homeless … congregate or whatever the case may be, drive down an alley where maybe someone sleeping, and right away, they’d get up and scurry off,” Sergeant Eric Quijada said.
“Now that they’re getting to know us, this helps us stand out,” Quijada said.
“We’ve realized that there’s a great deal of organization outreach programs in Lubbock and I think the reason the police need to be involved is because we’re the first responders. We’re the ones that show up to any of those kinds of homeless calls,” Corporal Steven Bergen said.
“I think it’s very important that with our team, we’re able to point them to resources, as opposed to you need to leave or go to jail,” Bergen said.
The team works with other homeless outreach organizations in the city.
Bergen said they respond to emails, phone calls, and referrals from people or businesses.
“The rapport we built has been great. I didn’t think it would happen this fast, but every week we’re going to multiple meetings a day, having several contacts, patrol calls us if they run into something that they ask someone if they want help, they say yes, they do want help,” Quijada said.
“It’s rare that someone turns down our help. But I just think the awareness of our program and what we can do for people and basically shepherd them into programs that will get them help and later on down the road,” Quijada said.
More information about the team can be found here, on their website.