Community Resource Officer

CRO

“I meet a lot of people and it is always a neat experience to hear their story and learn more about them as a person.

I have a close working relationship with service organizations like The Brookings Homeless Task Force, The Curry Homeless Coalition, Curry Community Health, Brookings-Harbor Food Bank, and others which, when coupled with me getting to know those I am helping, allows me to pair the needs of the homeless with resources that will have the biggest positive impact on their situation.

It is personally rewarding when I can help reunite community members with their family that they may not have seen for some time.”

-CRO Ray Branion

The mission of the CRO is to engage stakeholders in a community-based process to:

1) End homelessness for all individuals and families throughout the City of Brookings                                                                 

2) Address the underlying causes of homelessness

3) Lessen the negative impact of homelessness on individuals, families, and the community

The CRO seeks out and engages those who are chronically homeless and, for those who are willing, attempts to provide and connect them with housing and appropriate resources for that individual. This officer will work to establish trust with the homeless population by being a resource for them. The CRO will collaborate and coordinate with Curry Community Health, the Oregon Department of Human Resources, Social Security Administration, Veteran’s Administration, Oregon Coast Community Action, drug/alcohol programs, etc., to be able to seek solutions to the varying barriers faced by our homeless population. A primary role of this officer is to be a resource to Patrol officers when they encounter homeless individuals who need resources. The CRO is designed to be outreach driven and not enforcement driven, though when they encounter crimes during their contacts they will investigate them and take appropriate action. While we alone cannot solve homelessness, our goal is to have a significant positive impact that benefits all members of our Brookings community.