Santa Fe police are trying to make connections with members of the northern New Mexico city's homeless populations through their stomachs.
Four officers in the Police Department's community relations unit spent an hour Thursday handing out 40 food bags to homeless people in the downtown area.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that police want to meet some of the homeless, hear their stories and learn of any possible mental illnesses before they have other interaction with them.
A church and a food distribution organization provided the lunch bags distributed by the officers.
Joni Brenneisen of Christ Church Santa Fe says the police-homeless interaction could help avoid tragic events such as a March fatal shooting of homeless camper by Albuquerque police.
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