Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City has seen positive improvements since the inception of Homeless Resources Center Squads, Police Chief Mike Brown said Thursday.
The HRC squads were created thanks to state funding and became fully operational in early July. The squads, made up of one sergeant and five officers, take calls for service and help officers patrol a half-mile radius around both the Gail Miller Resource Center near the Ballpark neighborhood and the Geraldine King Women's Resource Center downtown.
During a Thursday news conference, Brown stated the two squads are aimed at "improving safety and overall well-being of both the homeless population and the surrounding communities" at or around the centers.
Brown said the squads have taken nearly 1,400 calls for service, conducted 45 operations to go after criminals, made 250 arrests and made contact with nearly 3,000 businesses.
Steven Crosby, general manager of Magnum Electric Bikes located around the corner from the Women's Resource Center, said since the summer, he has seen a decrease in unsheltered people around the business and faster response times from officers.
"Before, almost on a daily basis, I'm kicking somebody off out front that was camped out front, or in the back," Crosby said.
"'How can you still (have your business) down here,' which was kind of the previous responses (from customers). Now we're not getting any of that," he added.
"To better serve these communities, we need to have trust," Brown said. Not just trust with local businesses and residents but those who are unsheltered too.
Brown stated that since its inception, squad members have been able to direct or provide resources to nearly 10,000 people in need.
"They're seeing people day to day and getting to know them as human beings, as the human beings that they are," said Michelle Flynn, executive director of the Road Home which houses the Gail Miller Resource Center. "That adds a whole new perspective when an incident does occur."
But Flynn said more work needs to be done in the city.
"What this is about is making sure we have safe places for people that are in need. And that is so crucial that we have enough of that. But we really know that we need the affordable housing," she said.
Brown said he hopes to expand the Homeless Resource Center Squads in the future.
