MLPD continues proactive approach to homelessness
CALEB PEREZ | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 12 months AGO
A group of unsheltered individuals gathers underneath a tree at the Civic Center Park. Captain Jeff Sursely said the Moses Lake PD is taking a proactive approach to homelessness in the city and are working to point people in the right direction for support.
CALEB PEREZ/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
MOSES LAKE – The Open Doors Sleep Center in Moses Lake has been closed for about seven weeks and Jeff Sursely, police captain with the Moses Lake Police Department, said Moses Lake PD has not seen any increase in calls for disturbances or property crimes.
“It’s pretty stable, that’s how I’d describe it,” said Sursely.
While there is no increase in the number of calls, he said the majority of calls related to homeless individuals are for trespassing. He said the Moses Lake PD is doing pre-emptive work on the issue, using drones to check hard-to-access areas and trying to keep a handle on not letting encampments get too big.
Sursely said there are no areas in town that are seeing any particular number of calls as they are spread throughout town.
“Taking a proactive approach to the trespassing piece has kept the major encampments from reestablishing,” he said.
Moses Lake PD is continuing to provide outreach and advise unhoused individuals they encounter that there are resources available, and they are providing contact information for those organizations, said Sursely. When coming across individuals not from the area, officers will work to establish a good base for them to get family help and will try to help them get there.
“We try to get them to that support structure so we’re kind of trying to do a wraparound at the same time,” he said. “Our enforcement job is for the people that call in on trespassing and then the property crime and theft that is associated with it.”
Suzi Fode, director of New Hope and Kids Hope, said there are many reasons why people can become unsheltered. At New Hope, they provide a resource to those seeking shelter from domestic violence.
She said the number one cause for women experiencing homelessness is domestic violence. The general community should encourage any friends or family experiencing domestic violence to call New Hope and connect with resources.
Law enforcement urges anyone looking to help unhoused individuals in town to reach out to and support organizations in the area that operate programs for those living on the street, said Sursely. Helping these organizations provides those in need opportunity to get into treatment, stable housing and employment.
“The ultimate goal is to get these people to places that can actually provide help,” he said. “Providing them immediate resources is only a moment in time for them, but getting long-term resources is (more) beneficial for them.”
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