LAPD, nonprofit work together to help homeless in Venice

VENICE, Calif. (KABC) -- The Venice community has a large homeless population that continues to grow each year.

In the last year, Los Angeles police officers have worked together with a nonprofit group to help the homeless rebuild their lives.

A homeless task force with the nonprofit and the LAPD officers from the Pacific Division wake up at dawn twice a week to speak to the homeless and offer assistance.

Jaclyn Freckmann, a pregnant woman who was once homeless in the community, said just two weeks ago she received aid from a shelter. She is due on March 28.

Freckmann's story is a common one, according to Steven Weller and his wife Regina. For the last 20 years, the couple has been working hard to get people off the streets and into homes provided through Four Square Church.

The couple use funds from their own retirement to help those in need.

"We're unfunded. The church is separate from our chaplain's homeless task force," Weller said.

Regina Weller said the couple feels blessed to work with a great team.

"It takes some time to establish a relationship with those people. But once we manage to break through the first barrier we can then start working on bettering their lives," LAPD officer Patrick Vantrimpont said.

The shooting of a homeless man earlier this week put the focus on how law enforcement deals with the homeless who live with a unique set of circumstances.

But Freckmann said the work done by the officers in Venice shows they not only protect the public, but they also serve it.

"I was homeless for 12 years on and off, and when they picked me up during my pregnancy I thought that was super neat because I thought they didn't really give a crud," she said.