Garland officers make special connection with homeless community

Two Garland police officers with a special assignment are making quite a difference in their community.

GARLAND, Texas - Two Garland police officers with a special assignment are making quite a difference in their community.

The officers have a unique ability to connect with people who are homeless. They are on a mission to improve the rapport between the department and those living on the street.

Garland police partners Wendy Sheriff and Todd Gyure know a good number of people who are homeless.

Sheriff and Gyure are the department's homeless and mental health liaisons. In many cases, they connect those they encounter with city and county resources.

"We'll ask them what led them to where they are. Like where did you sleep last night? We get to find that stuff out,” Officer Gyure explained. “And we can see if they're ready to try and do some things to start changing."

The relationships they build foster trust and respect.

"She's special to me and it means a lot,” said Robyn, who lives on the street. “She talks to me, and she got me a back pack with lots of things: hygiene and personal things."

They're making a difference one 'often tough' moment at a time.