LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — To get a better idea of Las Vegas’ battle against homelessness, News 3’s Marie Mortera rode along with LVMPD and their special outreach team, finding an encampment which is known to a few – the people who live there and the officers trying to help them out.
We first meet with Sergeant Matthew Kovacich and his Hope and Outreach Team outside LVMPD headquarters. “We specifically go out and divert individuals from the criminal justice system and get them hopefully life long help to get them out of the criminal justice system and away from the elements, drugs, alcohol, mental health.” says Kovacich.
He makes it clear, for these officers today, their work is outreach – not enforcement of the county’s camping ban. “There’s a time and place and people are arrested for it but my team’s goal is to not do that. We want to go out there with a purpose. If somebody is up for housing or somebody can get housing, it’s applicable to their situation, it’s our job.”…