Sioux Falls Police take a suspect into custody after a foot chase in downtown Sioux Falls, 11/2/20. KELO.com News photo by Liz Ryan.
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO.com) — School may be out for summer, but that doesn’t mean School Resource Officers are on vacation. In Sioux Falls, those officers represent a beefed up presence in the downtown core area, where most of the city’s homeless population congregate. Police Chief Jon Thum says those officers partner with non-profit agencies to connect those who need help with the resources they need.
Police Operations Lieutenant Jason Leach says pairing up with social services non-profits is a winning combination.
Chief Thum says the efforts have helped 20 people get off the streets and into homes in the past year.
Chief Thum reminds residents to avoid giving cash handouts to panhandlers, as that often leads to more problems. Many of the homeless people they help are struggling with mental health or addiction. This is the fifth year police have partnered with agencies like Southeastern Behavioral Health, a partnership police say is making a difference.
Comments