Police Homeless Outreach Team wins international award

The Colorado Springs Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team was awarded the prestigious Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing today at an international conference in Arlington, Texas.

The award, given by the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, recognizes “innovative and effective problem-oriented policing projects that have achieved measurable success in resolving recurring specific crime, disorder or public safety problems faced by police and the community.”

“We’re on cloud nine right now,” said one of the three HOT officers, M.J. Thomson. “It’s probably the biggest police award that you can get. It’s pretty huge.”

Thomson said there were 46 entries from around the world. Judges narrowed the list to 14 semifinalists, then six finalists, including a team from the United Kingdom. Each finalist made a presentation, and a team of judges and the audience voted on the winner.

CSPD has entered the contest before, Thomson said, but never made it to the finals.

“We’re just kind of overwhelmed,” Thomson said. “Our phones are going nuts.”

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