Jared Phelps was sworn in as the new police chief of Boca Raton during a ceremony at Lynn University’s performing arts center. Phelps, who has over 30 years of experience in law enforcement, pledged to work hard for the department and the community.

Community Focus

Phelps stated that his first mission is to learn about the community, its nuances, and issues such as the homeless population. Concerns about homelessness have been raised by community members, particularly in local parks. The city plans to add a community resource coordinator and four new police officers to focus on homelessness response and outreach efforts.

Bob McMahon, who identified himself as homeless, shared his thoughts on the issue, stating that something had to be done to address the situation in the parks. Phelps committed to finding solutions and being part of the discussions to help the community.

Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.