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Police highlight homelessness outreach successes, ask for more navigator and CAT staffing
Summary
Rochester police described a targeted outreach strategy for people experiencing homelessness that has moved many high‑contact individuals off the department's top‑10 list; they requested converting the homeless navigator role to full time (net +0.5 FTE) and adding one community‑action team officer to sustain progress.
Chief Franklin and Captain Jennifer Hodgman updated the council on the police department’s outreach to people experiencing homelessness, describing a three‑step approach of education, encouragement and enforcement and a targeted "top 10" strategy to focus resources on the individuals generating the most contacts for law enforcement.
Captain Hodgman used a multi‑month data snapshot to show results: between January 2025 and May 2026, 81 different individuals cycled through the department’s top‑10 contact list; 54 of those (about 67%) transitioned off the list within a month, and 41 of the 54 remained off the list at follow‑up — a sustained‑progress rate staff framed as evidence the targeted outreach and navigator work are effective.
The presentation included a short success story video of one person (introduced as "Matt") who moved from living in a tent to paid housing and employment after repeated contacts and sustained engagement. Chief Franklin said the program relies heavily on the homelessness navigator (Terry Dose) and the CAT team. "That relationship that was built has gone on for a very long time," Captain Hodgman said in describing the case.
Staff asked the council to approve budget adjustments that would make the navigator role full time (a net +0.5 FTE to convert a contracted portion) and add one police officer assigned to the CAT team (the ask was modified from two officers to one officer plus the navigator funding). Chief Franklin said there is more work than current staff can handle: "There's enough work there for probably 1.5–2 FTEs above and beyond just 1.5 that we have."
Council members praised the department’s compassionate, relationship‑based approach but requested more data on how patrol hours are allocated, the share of hours going to the top‑10 cases, and more collaboration with county and nonprofit partners. No formal vote was held; the staffing requests were presented as budget decision items for future action.
