May Local Public Safety Coordinating Council Meeting

Anybody who has lived in Medford for at least the past half-decade will have noticed an increased number of homeless people in the area. In 2019, the Medford Police Department realized that a new approach had to be attempted that combined both law enforcement and connecting people with resources to help them out of their houseless situations. That’s when the Livability Team was born: a unique team of officers who specialize in making contact with and providing outreach for homeless people in our community. At this month’s Local Public Safety Coordinating Council Meeting, Lieutenant Jeff Kirkpatrick gave a detailed history, overview, and future roadmap of this relatively new and cutting-edge division in the police department.