ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Police Department's Homeless Intervention Unit is a program the department created this year, where police officers go out in the community to help connect homeless people with services.

In the past seven months, OPD officials say officers have helped make 18,400 contacts with people experiencing homelessness. Less than 1% of the arrests made by OPD between January and August 2024 were related to homelessness.

It’s a job Orlando Police Department Capt. Drew Thomas always knew he wanted to do. 

“I’ve just always wanted to first help people," he said. "Those who couldn’t help themselves, protect them, protect the community and make it a better place to live."

Thomas said every day is different as he oversees all downtown units and operations, including the new Homeless Intervention Unit.

“We are a services-first approach," he said. "Arresting is always the last resort. We use a contact, educate and enforce model."

Florida’s new law prohibiting public sleeping has changed the landscape for the homeless, as well as organizations that help unhoused people.

Starting in January, the law won’t change Orlando Police’s approach, but it will give homeless people a shorter time limit on when they must pick up their belongings and leave. That’s why Orlando Police are making these connections now.

“Overwhelmingly, it’s been positive. Most engagements we have with them are extremely cordial, very friendly," Thomas said. "Many of them are accepting of the services. Some do not, but I find many of them are.”

They aren’t alone. The department partners with Aspire, an organization focusing more on the person experiencing homelessness and what services they may be eligible for. If there’s an encampment, but no one there, Aspire collects and documents belongings, leaving a note on where the person can pick them up.

“To have the clean team — to have (an) ally out here and work collaboratively allows us to seamlessly ... as you see, they are out here with us to go place to place,” Thomas said.

But even with this support, the demand for resources continues to grow in Central Florida.

“In a perfect world, I guess it would be more beds available, places for them to go," Thomas said. "That doesn’t solve everything."

While there is room for growth when it comes to addressing homelessness, Orlando Police officials said they hope to progress with the community to better protect all residents.

The department is currently putting together a Community Response Team. Rather than partnering with Aspire, there will be in-house case managers and licensed clinicians to help with calls dealing with mental health crisis and homeless intervention. They will also follow-up on each call, ensuring people get the most help.

Another portion of House Bill 1365 goes into effect in January. It puts a time limit of five days for a county or city to address an alleged violation of the public sleeping law, making sure a homeless camp is cleared out.