Sunday, June 06, 2021

DEFUNDING POLICE WORKS FOR THE COMMUNITY

CALGARY

'It's a relief': $1 million from police to Alpha House’s DOAP teams will benefit the most vulnerable

Alanna Smith 


After struggling to secure consistent funding in the past, a $1 million reallocation from the police budget to a downtown outreach program run by Calgary’s Alpha House Society comes as a “relief” as their efforts are needed now more than ever.

Jacqueline Jerran, right, and Chelsey Cascadden, full-time DOAP members, help a homeless person outside Alpha House in Calgary on Thursday, August 15, 2019.

The Downtown Outreach Addictions Partnership (DOAP) program , which deploys mobile-response teams to support people living on the streets or struggling with substance use, is using the money to add two additional teams to its fleet, bringing the total to six. One will be Indigenous-focused and the other will run overnight.

In total, Alpha House is receiving $1,065,135 as part of a $16-million package from the Calgary Police Service and the City of Calgary to reform crisis response after calls for change echoed through Calgary’s streets last summer .

Shaundra Bruvall, a spokesperson for Alpha House, said adding two teams should help reduce wait times in the city, especially during the overnight hours.

The agency’s staff transport vulnerable individuals to supports across the city and work as a “conduit” to the homeless service sector. They also respond to overdoses, public intoxication and concerns from locals and businesses — reducing the need for police or emergency services.

“We know that some of the people we serve just have a bit more distrust toward members of authority. They might just be a bit more wary or more antagonistic if it was a cop that was showing up or a bylaw or peace officer,” said Bruvall.

“Having it being a civilian, and particularly a program that most of the people that we serve do recognize and do know, already puts that interaction off on a better footing.”

Last year, the DOAP team conducted 20,759 transports and served 3,685 unique clients. More than 1,400 referrals came from the police and EMS.

Team members also handed out more than 6,800 harm reduction supplies for safer consumption, 300 naloxone kits that can reverse overdoses and more than 1,600 bagged lunches.

Bruvall said the organization went through a “rough patch” in recent years, during which Alpha House had to rely on community support to make up gaps in DOAP program funding . But the additional $1-million backing means the program will be “safe” for the next year.

“It’s just a relief,” she said. “The DOAP team is just such a massive program, and connected with so many different organizations in the city, that it (was) just really disheartening and sad when we were looking down the road and thinking, ‘this team can’t operate.'”

Funding will be used to support all six teams, including vehicles, insurance, staffing and necessary supplies to help Calgary’s most vulnerable.

Police Chief Mark Neufeld said partnerships with programs like DOAP help keep people out of crisis and reduce repeat calls for service from the same individuals. He said It’s “proactive” work.

—With files from Madeline Smith

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