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There are many daunting challenges in the world of law enforcement but dealing with the growing population of homeless people is one of the toughest.
In Kansas though, Wichita Police Officer Nikki Woodrow makes it look easy. In addition to answering emergency calls and patrolling the West Wichita streets, Woodrow has made a reputation for herself as a hero of the less fortunate.
"I've been a part of this neighborhood for so many years," Officer Woodrow told KSN.com news.
Woodrow says she sees homeless outreach as a critical part of the larger public safety mission.
So what techniques is this officer using to reach out to a group at high risk of crime, drug addiction and all manner of misery?
"It's just simply getting to know them, showing them that you care about 'em," Officer Woodrow explained to reporters.
Woodrow's approach is long-term and straightforward. Over the years she has developed relationships with homeless citizens by simply learning their names and offering them rides.
She also tries to dig for details of their lives like their medical histories that could come in handy somewhere down the line.
"One guy started stuttering one day because he was having a seizure. I picked up on that really quick because I've known ‘em for years so I was able to call EMS," Woodrow said.
Her work has not gone unnoticed. Woodrow is one of 10 individuals in the Wichita community being honored by the Red Cross at its second annual Wichita Heroes Breakfast.
Woodrow says she doesn't see herself as a hero at all. The folks she's gone out of her way to get to know and help out beg to differ though.
"She's an angel. Yeah, she's an angel," said a homeless man named Merlin, who's been helped directly by Woodrow. "She's one of us. She's just in uniform."
That's the kind of connection community policing at its finest can produce.
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