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The Mountlake Terrace Police Department has spent a little more than a thousand dollars in the year since it partnered with a Washington-based nonprofit dedicated to providing on-the-spot assistance.
BlueBridge Alliance’s goal is to provide immediate short-term help to people in urgent need, according to its website. Its goal is to also strengthen or restore mutual trust and respect between the police and its community.
MLT police officers have a BlueBridge debit card they can use to buy food, clothing, shelter and other essentials someone may need immediately. MLT Police Cmdr. Scott King said the police department has had 21 interactions total as of Jan. 28.
The police department raised about $1,110 in donations and spent $1,249.
“We’ve helped a lot of people,” King said.
King recalled when a police officer helped an unhoused couple purchase a new car battery. He also remembered a time an officer purchased a safe for an elderly woman who was taken advantage of financially.
King said the random acts of kindness go beyond helping those in need, adding they are “good for officers’ mental health.” The plan is to keep the program going as long as possible.
Community donations fund the BlueBridge debit card. Those interested can contribute at bluebridgealliance.org/mountlaketerracewapd.
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network. Contact her at angelica@myedmondsnews.com.
Thanks for raising awareness of this program. It’s a great example of Community Policing SHOULD be. And it deserves our support.
https://bluebridgealliance.org/
100% agree. If we want better policing we need to give the police more options. They see and understand a level of pain and need that the rest of us might not.