KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – It may have been a mild Christmas, but it’s looking like it will be a white New Year with a lot of cold weather still ahead.
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety says it’s doing its part to make sure the most vulnerable are safe in weather like this.
Chief Dave Boysen says there is a small percentage of the homeless population that refuses to go into shelters, either because they have been banned or have drug abuse or mental health issues.
Boysen says they have set up the Community Services Team comprised of a sergeant and three officers to respond to complaints and handle situations, but he says they spend much of their time doing regular welfare checks.
Officer Mary Miller says they are in the encampments daily, checking into tents to make sure they are doing well, have food, and are coping, especially with the cold.
She says if someone asks for help, or obviously needs it, they can make a range of referrals, everything from simple information to a check from WMU’s Street Med team to a mental health petition.
Officer Miller says it’s not illegal to be homeless, or mentally ill and they have rights, they just want to make sure they are taking advantage of the services available.
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