UPDATE: Re: The error in the first quote below. The N&R ran a correction in Friday’s paper and also corrected the info in their online story, so that it now reads: “Tepedino asked the man a few questions and called NightWatch, a street outreach team, to meet the man downstairs.” Thanks, KD.

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From an article in today’s News & Record, about downtown’s Center City Resource Team (the “bike cops” ;) ):

A frequent stop for the patrol is the Greene Street Parking Deck, where Officer Tim Tepedino took his bike up the elevator to the top level about 11 p.m. Friday.

He spotted a homeless man sleeping at the top of the stairs.

Tepedino asked the man a few questions and called the Homeless Prevention Coalition of Guilford County to meet the man downstairs.

Actually, Tim called NightWatch — specifically, my cell phone — and asked us to swing by and see what we could do to help. The man had disappeared into the crowd by the time we got there — we were at a homeless camp off I-40 when Tim called us — but we found other homeless friends downtown (as always.)

Pat Sawyer, property manager for The Lofts at Greensboro Court, said that she doesn’t see the bicycle officers on a regular basis.

She said she has called for assistance with panhandlers and others outside her office at 319 S. Elm St. three times and waited about 45 minutes each time.

‘It’s embarrassing when we walk out to look at the neighborhood and there’s somebody eating from a trash can,” she said.

Imagine how it feels to be the guy who’s eating out of the trash can.

“Julia Costas, manager of Winterfire Craft Gallery on South Elm Street, said the patrol has brought a sense of security.

“They have a lot of class and character in the way they speak, whether it’s a merchant or a person they’re questioning,’ she said.

I couldn’t agree more. I really appreciate the compassion and the respect that the CCRTs show towards our homeless friends downtown. God bless them. :)

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