Lacey to spend $177,000 on outreach team that will serve homeless, others in crisis
Lacey City Council on Thursday approved the creation of a mobile outreach team, a group that will work with police to help people who are homeless and others in crisis.
The cost of the team is about $177,000, said Police Chief Robert Almada, who teed up the conversation for the council before they voted on it.
Police previously had a similar arrangement with the Community Action Council, but after outreach coordinator Mitch Mitchell left the program, the CAC had difficulty filling the position, Almada said. So the city is now working with Olympic Health and Recovery Services, he said.
The mobile outreach team will consist of four full-time equivalent positions: two peer specialists and two crisis clinicians.
According to city information, patrol officers will collaborate with the mobile team when dealing with people who are in need of services, and they will assess people at the request of a police officer.
The council unanimously approved the outreach team.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am,” council member Carolyn Cox said.
She said the mobile outreach team will provide relief to Lacey police officers, and provide “contact that is more comfortable for the people we are trying to help.”
Cox compared the newly created team to the crisis response unit in Olympia, calling it “a model worth pursuing.”
“Let’s hope it works,” she said.
Council member Michael Steadman also called it great news for the city.
“Anything to help our officers do their primary job,” he said. “It was needed and has been needed for a long time.”
Mayor Andy Ryder said the mobile outreach team has his full support.
“We have to have resources for issues like this,” said Ryder, referring to helping those in crisis. “This is the world we live in.”
So, what will success look like for the mobile outreach team?
The city provided some examples:
▪ Reduction in Lacey police officer involvement in non-criminal incidents.
▪ Pro-active response to community requests for response to incidents involving people who are homeless or having mental health issues.
▪ Fewer misdemeanor crimes and related arrests for anti-social behavior, such as trespassing, shoplifting, and illegal camping.
▪ Delivering appropriate resources to a vulnerable population, rather than putting people in jail.
This story was originally published July 16, 2021 at 5:30 AM.
