WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said they started a pilot program where road patrol deputies performed homeless evaluation and assessment patrols in areas outside their original jurisdiction.
According to the sheriff's office, they operated the program in municipalities like Jupiter and West Palm Beach, which have their own police departments.
WPTV learned about the program after inquiring about deputies being spotted in downtown West Palm Beach in September.
"Units proceeded to locations identified in an effort to locate and identify subjects who are experiencing homelessness," sheriff's office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said. "Team members interviewed individuals in order to triage/assess these persons. Based on their responses, team members will work to facilitate homeless intervention assistance resources/assistance for these persons by acting as a liaison between the person and the appropriate care provider."
Barbera said no other dates are scheduled for similar operations, but the department isn't ruling out future patrols.
She said the agency helped rehouse seven people and had two others agree to go to rehab. The sheriff's office also said the program didn't cost additional money because they utilized deputies on their regularly scheduled shift.
The effort, which a spokesperson for the West Palm Beach Police Department said included two police officers, is an additional resource for the homeless population in West Palm Beach.
The city's Department of Housing and Community Development Services division said online that it spends thousands of hours working on various services for the homeless population. This includes working in coordination with various local organizations such as St. Ann Place and the Health Care District of Palm Beach County.
One of those efforts included a program where the city was able to house 40 people who were homeless. The program gives people free transitional housing for a year, which includes a fully furnished apartment.
West Palm Beach highlighted the program's effects in a video published on a public access program.
The city's Downtown Development Authority, which collects and spends taxpayer dollars, also pays for police officers and other personnel to patrol the downtown area.
A spokesperson for the city of West Palm Beach told WPTV that the operation was a part of an ongoing partnership, but directed WPTV to the sheriff's office on why the deputies were needed for help within city limits.
