Homeless Outreach and Police Engagement (HOPE)

Homelessness is affecting most of the United States and, in particular, California where approximately 25% of the nation’s homeless population is located. Currently, there are no clear, long-term, nor viable solutions to truly resolve this complex issue.

Winters Police Department has launched a Homeless Outreach and Police Engagement (HOPE) program as an ancillary function of one of our officer’s normal daily duties. Using a Specialized Multi-Agency Response Team (SMART) approach, the two-prong approach of HOPE is to:

• Connect resources to the homeless population in need such as veteran’s assistance, mental health, or substance abuse treatment.
• Enforce state and local laws in situations that damage the environment and negatively impact the quality of life of residents.

By using a collaborative and community-centered approach, we hope to improve the conditions for those negatively impacted by this social crisis.

For more information about the program, please contact us by email HERE