Two police officers from the University of Texas Police at Houston used their own money to ensure that a 20-year-old homeless man suffering with anxiety could have a safe place to sleep for the night. 

Lieutenant Justin Taylor and Officer Tyrone Davis were among a team of officers who responded to a call from a man who had become anxious and overwhelmed because he was alone in a part of town with which he was unfamiliar. The man also explained that he had no true home and lived as a drifter on the streets of Katy.

“He told us that he sometimes lives in his friend’s car, but that he was afraid to stay in the Texas Medical Center after he witnessed two people get into a fight,” said Taylor. 

Having walked nearly 30 miles from Katy to Houston for treatment at a neuropsychiatric center in the area, the man found himself stranded without the money or transportation to get back to Katy.

After trying unsuccessfully to contact the man’s friend, the officers started thinking about how they could help him.

“He was carrying a cellphone, backpack and was wearing nice shoes,” said Taylor. “We knew these were items that could make him a target after dark and he would have no way to defend himself.”  

With many shelters closed as a result of Covid-19, the officers offered the man a ride to Katy where they reserved a motel room for him to spend the night. 

“He was genuinely concerned for his personal safety,” said Taylor. “The room allowed him both safety and time to figure out his next steps.”

For resources to help those affected by homelessness in the Houston area, visit searchhomeless.org.