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Brockton council backs police‑led task force funded by opioid settlement to tackle homelessness and addiction
Summary
Mayor and police proposed a multi‑disciplinary, Brockton‑run outreach team — officers, clinicians, navigators and harm‑reduction specialists — to make individualized outreach, syringe pickup and community‑court referrals. Initial operating costs (~$734K) will be covered with opioid‑settlement funds; committee voted to recommend favorably.
Mayor Moses Rodriguez and Police Chief Brenda Perez briefed the finance committee on a Brockton‑based task force to address homelessness, addiction and related public‑health challenges. The program will be staffed by sworn community officers, clinicians, navigators, a victim/family specialist and harm‑reduction/environmental workers focused on syringe pickup and area cleanup.
Lieutenant William Schleman described an operational week: Monday review and follow‑up of weekend calls; Tuesday hosting the Plymouth County Hub case meetings at the public safety building; Wednesday task‑force case review and environmental remediation assignments; Thursday coordination with drug court; and Friday community court outreach at the public library. The model emphasizes individualized outreach and multi‑agency coordination: "There is no one‑size‑fits‑all approach to these complex issues," Lieutenant Schleman said.
Finance director and staff explained funding will come from opioid‑settlement dollars already allocated to the city. Initial direct operating and short‑term assistance (IDs, short housing, transportation) were estimated at about $734,000, with additional program‑linked funds (~$625,000) identified for complementary services. The committee voted to recommend the program favorably and asked for follow‑up reports; councilors requested a six‑month review of metrics including referrals, syringe pickup, contacts and housing placements.
