Since stepping into her position as Sammamish police chief last October, Michelle Bennett said she’s encountered homeless people in Sammamish on five different occasions.

“Most folks wouldn’t think, ‘Oh Sammamish, there’s homelessness,’” Bennett told the Reporter. “But there is and we can’t pretend it’s not there. We need to do everything we can to help.”

This month, the Sammamish Police Department, in partnership with the Issaquah Food Bank, is collecting food and hygiene items to hand out to the homeless people that police officers come across.

Officers have put together 75 kits, which will include the food and hygiene items as well as a list of homeless resources, in a red, draw-string bag. Bennett said officers will keep two bags in the trunk of their police cars to distribute as needed.

“This was something that we feel, as police officers, we come into contact with more often. We’re likely to run into adult homeless folks more often than not as first responders,” Bennett said. “We thought, ‘Hey, this is a good idea if we have the availability to do it.”

Community members who would like to contribute items may drop them off at the Sammamish Police Department at City Hall. Items that police plan to hand out include shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, razors, shaving cream, tampons, tissues, combs, lotion, nail clippers and chapstick.

Bennett said particular items of need include socks, hats and mittens. She added she was looking into the possibility of getting bus passes or vouchers they could hand out as well.

“I know there are knitters in the city. It’d be cool to have homemade hats or gloves or socks [to pass out],” she said.

Bennett said Sammamish police received an “amazing” amount of support from the community with its Toys for Tots drive. She hopes the department’s effort to aid the local homeless population generates the same amount of interest.

“We take for granted what we have,” Bennett said. “There are a lot of people not nearly as fortunate as we are.”