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Gastonia police are hiring a coordinator to help the city's homeless population

Naomi August
/
Unsplash

Gastonia’s police department is bringing on a person to help those experiencing homelessness when police are involved.

The homelessness coordinator will go out with officers on calls that involve a person experiencing homelessness, such as for reports of trespassing and loitering. The coordinator will then link that person with agencies that can help.

Gastonia Police Chief Travis Brittain says this kind of intervention provides a holistic approach to the city and county’s growing homeless population.

“Is it a drug use issue? Is it a mental health issue? Here’s where we can plug you in. You know, I think what we’re used to is, ‘hey here’s an opportunity, you can go to the shelter,'” Brittain said.

The 2020 annual Point in Time Count found 126 people were homeless in Gaston County. The report said the main factors driving homelessness include job loss, drug use and a lack of affordable housing.

The city of Gastonia said in a news release that it’s working with nonprofits and faith-based organizations to reduce homelessness, and both the city and Gaston County have launched programs helping residents with emergency housing.

Brittain says he will consider it a win if the homeless coordinator can impact even one life of a person experiencing homelessness.

“Our interaction is oftentimes addressing and dealing with crime and allegations of crime, and we want to be more holistic in how we approach this population,” Brittain said.

Brittain says city staff are currently interviewing candidates and hope to have a homeless coordinator in place by next month.

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Catherine Welch is Assistant News Director at WFAE. She has led newsrooms at KUNC in Greely, CO, Rhode Island Public Radio in Providence, RI and WHQR in Wilmington, NC.