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Two Goodyear officers are earning high recognition from their department after their efforts to tackle homelessness within the community.
Officer Johnnatan Martinez and Sgt. Mary Ward, who started the Homeless Outreach Team of the Goodyear Police Department, recently received the Superior Service Award, the Memorandum of Commendation, and the Chief’s Coin of Excellence Award for their endeavors with the program.
The HOT formed in September 2018, when the city of Goodyear and its police department noted that homelessness in Goodyear appeared to be increasing.
“There were more people seen panhandling on the corners, camping/living in flood retention areas, and being in need of resources,” Mr. Martinez said.
He and Ms. Ward were selected and went to multiple cities in California and also began working with the Peoria Police Department’s Homeless Outreach/Crisis Intervention Team to come up with ideas on how to work with unsheltered individuals and all citizens of Goodyear.
The HOT’s goals are to work with the homeless population to offer available resources, assist individuals in need of shelter/housing and other issues such as substance use addiction, help in reunifying people with family if possible, and improving the quality of life for all citizens — both sheltered and unsheltered.
The team contacts the homeless in different ways. The team, like patrol officers, goes out in the field and patrols the city, but specifically to assist homeless people.
Radio calls related to homeless people are usually dispatched directly to the team. But as word has spread on the street, some homeless people also call dispatch or the officers’ work cell phone directly asking to speak with the HOT.
“The biggest challenge is that many of the people contacted initially don’t want to speak with police and don’t want any resources,” Mr. Martinez said. “This is a constant challenge. The way we work with this is we keep making positive contacts with these individuals to help build trust and start being able to have that dialogue about resources with them.”
Mr. Martinez said another challenge is the scarcity of resources, like in the area of substance abuse programs/rehabilitation, or programs which will take people with pets.
“There is a significant number of people the team encounters who are struggling with drug addiction, but there are very few rehab programs that will take clients with Medicaid if there are no other mental health conditions,” he said.
Goodyear’s HOT works with the Phoenix Rescue Mission on a regular basis for outreach and help in locating resources, even if the person doesn’t end up at the Mission. Other organizations the team works with are: Agua Fria Food and Clothing Bank, Care First, A New Leaf, Angels On Patrol, East Valley Men’s Shelter, Community Bridges, and Recovery Innovations.
The team also receives heaps of help and guidance from Det. Lisa Scott and Det. Tomoki Scheideman from the Peoria Police Department’s Homeless Outreach/Crisis Intervention Team.
That duo in Peoria is well-known for hosting at least two homeless outreach events each year, mainly taking place at Rio Vista Recreation Center.
Mr. Martinez remembers encountering Joshua Staggs, who was living in a flood retention area for about two or three years, and struggling with heroin addiction for about five years. He had become estranged from his wife and children, and was getting into trouble with the police.
“Shortly after the team formed, he started his recovery process on his own,” Mr. Martinez said. “The team acted as support for him and was able to provide some resources to him. He was recently able to get into an apartment, and is working on getting a job and reuniting permanently with his wife and children.”
Another man has been homeless on and off for about 25 years. He also has a substance addiction.
Perhaps more close to home for the officers on the HOT, this individual is the son of a retired police officer.
“He has told the team he knows the methamphetamine will end up killing him, but he isn’t going to stop taking it,” Mr. Martinez said.
“Despite this, he is one of the friendliest people we have met on the street," Mr. Martinez continued. "It does get hard sometimes when so few people will take help, but meeting people like these two has increased the commitment to the team and the job the team is doing.”
Since its inception, the HOT has come across about 80 homeless individuals in Goodyear. The team has encountered only one family with children. However, that family has since been sheltered, Mr. Martinez said. There are also a few couples with pets the team encounters on a regular basis.
As the HOT nears a full year of existence, the team welcomes any help it can get from the community.
“We encourage the public to come out and spend a few hours with us if they would like to see the true need,” Mr. Martinez said. “Also, one thing that is important is the issue of panhandling. Instead of giving money to panhandlers, donate to the organization of your choice to help ensure that appropriate help can be given.”
Editor's Note: This story appeared in the June 20, 2019 edition of the Daily News-Sun, page 2.
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