The Lubbock Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team is bringing new wheels to the homeless community through the help of local donations.
“We started talking to people and there’s a number of homeless individuals who actually have jobs and the toughest part about having a job is transportation,” LPD Homeless Outreach Team Officer Sergeant Steven Bergen said. “So as a team we kind of decided, hey how can we actually help these folks out and so bikes is what kind of came to mind.”
Through local donations, the H.O.T. officers were able to repair and give out used bicycles to those in need of transportation to work in the Lubbock community. They were specifically given to people who could provide proof of employment.
“We’re the Homeless Outreach Team but I think the key word in that is “outreach,” Sergeant Bergen said. “Folks that may being going out on the streets can’t afford rent, or maybe just got released from jail, or in tough situations. So we’ll get contacted, sometimes directly through dispatch.”
The H.O.T. also gives out other resources to people on the streets, like gloves, hats, and blankets.
“Because beside just giving out a pair of boots or giving away a bike, we go beyond that. We try to, maybe they need some kind of mental help or even physical help we have contacts at community health clinic which we utilize and we can provide them and get them hooked up with some kind of services as well.”
However, Sergeant Bergen said the most important thing they focus on is building relationships throughout the community.
“Just like you or I, you actually want to trust somebody, especially in those kinds of environments,” Sergeant Bergen. “That’s probably been the most challenging and most rewarding is having to build those relationships and then the rewards is being able to provide people with service or care.”
Anyone wanting to help by donations can do so through the Lubbock Police Department.