DPD's Unsheltered Population Response Team hits the streets, helping the homeless
DPD's Unsheltered Population Response Team helps those in need living on the street
The Unsheltered Population Response Team is also joining forces with 14 neighborhood crisis intervention trained officers to help expand their reach.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Unsheltered Population Response Team is out on the streets looking to help those who need it the most.
Detroit Police Department Captain Tonya Leonard says the city's homelessness crisis is a challenge that her four-person team has taken on with pride for three years now.
"It’s not something that we’ve ever had before," she said. "It’s great to be able to have a team dedicated to go out, giving them the help and connections that they need."
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They work 12-hour shifts, patrolling hot spots around the city.
"They’ve built a rapport, people want the services and connections," she said. "They trust us to be able to help them."
FOX 2 followed the four-person team on a patrol run downtown.
After approaching a group lying near a street vent, they provided a backpack of hygiene products. Then, they called one of its many community partners to help with shelter and a quick meal.
Last year this team helped nearly 1,700 people.
"If they don’t want the services and resources they have a right to refuse," Leonard said. "But we just continue to engage them because we want them to know we care.
"We had our precincts (focus) on parking garages, parking structures, where there might be known that people might frequent and maybe potentially may be sleeping there or in need of services."
That emphasis on parking garages and structures came from the mayor and police chief’s push to patrol those locations more following the death of two children, ages 2 and 9.
They died of carbon monoxide poisoning after spending the night in the Hollywood Casino parking structure at Greektown last month.
"That was such a tragic incident, and I think it broke all of our hearts," Leonard said. "Nobody, I mean, honestly, were we thinking that people would sleep in parking garages."
The Unsheltered Population Response Team is also joining forces with 14 neighborhood crisis intervention-trained officers to help expand their reach.
More: Detroit warming centers: Resources available after children freeze to death in casino parking garage
"All citizens are important and so our most vulnerable population need services and resources too," she said.
Anyone in need of shelter or resources can call the Unsheltered Population Response Team at 866-313-2520. The website can be found here.
You can also visit or call any Detroit police precinct to get connected with an outreach team for help with overnight services.
