The Homeless Outreach Service Team program in Salt Lake City brings police officers and community outreach workers together to engage individuals who panhandle or cause public nuisances, connecting them directly with local resources instead of issuing citations.
Building Partnerships on Salt Lake City Streets
Developed originally to reshape how local law enforcement manages public spaces, the program shifts the primary response from punitive measures to service referrals. Officers work alongside outreach personnel to address panhandling and public nuisance behaviors by guiding individuals toward available community support networks.
The core framework relies on three distinct pillars: directing donations to established homeless service providers, operating a dedicated support group, and maintaining collaborative street outreach efforts. By encouraging the public to channel financial contributions through local service organizations rather than handing cash directly to panhandlers, the initiative aims to fund long-term solutions while reducing street-level encounters.
Salt Lake City Police Recruit Homeless Volunteers
As the initiative matured, operations broadened to incorporate broader public education strategies and strategic coordination across municipal agencies. During 2012, the Salt Lake City Police Department broadened the initiative by launching a public awareness drive, aligning strategic planning initiatives, and enlisting and training people who previously experienced homelessness to serve as volunteer outreach helpers.
US Department of Justice Funds Outreach Report
The foundational framework and operational history of the outreach initiative are detailed in resources published to assist community stakeholders interested in homeless outreach efforts. Derived from a 2016 printed document carrying the same title, this digital report received financial backing from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Responsibility for building this web-based edition fell to the National Center for Policing Innovation—previously designated as the Virginia Center for Policing Innovation—with backing provided through U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services cooperative agreement number 2018-CK-WXK-001.
