2021 Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 13
Community Outreach Team
In 2021, Chief Thody formed the Community Outreach Team. The team
consists of two of昀椀cers in charge of supporting the places of worship in
the city and the homeless population.
With over 200 places of worship in the City, the department’s Faithbased Community Service Of昀椀cer helps facilitate partnerships to better
the community. The team organized the Cops and Bobbers youth 昀椀shing day at Keney Park, where police, community, and kids got together
to 昀椀sh and share the experience at the pond.
They also helped put together and participated in the Faith and Blue
event. This is a national event that takes place in every state of the
country around the same weekend in October. The places of worship
and community worked together to organize a community day that
had numerous community groups, police, and emergency personnel,
along with resources available for the community. Leading up to this
event, the combined group participated in 昀椀ve weeks of walks against
violence, covering different areas of the city that had seen recent shootings and homicides.
The Department has worked to build trust within the homeless community by being a consistent presence in their lives for many years.
Using a converted HPD Bomb Squad truck, the Homeless Outreach
Of昀椀cer responds to different areas of the City, providing personal protective equipment, clothing, 昀椀rst aid supplies, and other essentials to
those in need. The program also helps make connections to housing
assistance, nutritional support, access to warming centers, or employment opportunities.
In addition to community outreach, this team is also responsible for
patrolling City Hall and the workings therein.
HARTFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT
PAGE 13