(Radio Iowa) – Davenport police officers are increasing foot patrols downtown as part of a partnership with local mental health and housing agencies. Working with Vera French Mental Health Center and Humility Homes and Services, a task force of off-duty police officers is checking in on local businesses and engaging in what are called “harm reduction practices.” Megan Brown-Saldan is the chief development officer with Humility Homes and Services.

“People don’t have to know everything, and we cannot expect our police officers to also know every single thing about every social service agency and every risk factor,” Brown-Saldana says. “This is how we partner together, to make sure that when we can do something to help someone, that we absolutely are.” The program was created in response to a variety of factors, including reports of people feeling less safe downtown and a housing shortage.

Kyle Carter is executive director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership, the city’s downtown management organization. He says a similar program exists across the river, in Rock Island, Illinois.  “We’re not reinventing the wheel. This model has been done all over the country,” Carter says. “It’s new to us, but certainly something that other downtown organizations like ours are very engaged in all over the country.”

The pilot program is scheduled to run for one year and has been given $65,000. Carter says it may scale up in the future, and that the early response from businesses and people on the street has been positive.