TITUSVILLE, Fla. — Officials say a new initiative by the Titusville Police Department is combining crackdowns and compassion to tackle the tough topic of homeless camps in the city.

“This is not a law enforcement issue, but it is certainly one the group we assembled here can identify and try to solve issues,” Titusville Police Chief John Lau said.

The five-member team also includes personnel from code enforcement and public works.

Officials said the goal isn’t just to enforce the law when it comes to camps setting up on private property, but to bring resources to the people face-to-face.

Titusville Police Lt. Josh Bernd says he spends a lot of time on the streets, but his role also takes him to places off the beaten path.

After hundreds of complaints from citizens, TPD formed a specialty unit made up of hand-selected officers to crack down on the camps.

All the camps show up on a map created by the police department, and an overlay shows crime spikes where most of the camps are set up.

“You see, everywhere we have these camps are hotspots of property crime,” Bernd said, pointing to the screen.

The effort began when a man broke into a Dunkin Donuts on State Road 50 in early April. He apparently did not realize a worker was inside at the time getting ready to open up for the day.

“He then used a hatchet and a grinder to cut a hole into the vending machine," Bernd said. "Didn’t know the worker was in there. She was terrified calling 911."

This crime led officers to the largest homeless camp in the city — one they didn’t even know about that has been operating for 18 months, tucked away in woods across the street near I-95.

“It’s about a football-field size full of tents, debris, trash, garbage, suitcases, tires, bicycles,” Bernd said.

While Spectrum News was there, Bernd encountered a homeless woman coming out of the camp.

Part of his team’s approach to the homeless problem is letting them know about resources to help with housing and addiction.

“It’s not just, 'Hey, how you doing, business as usual, you’re trespassed, you gotta go,'" Bernd said. "We are actually trying to talk to them, 'Why are you homeless? What can we do to help?'”

Across town, near the library, another camp was found where six homeless people were living just yards away from railroad tracks in unsanitary conditions.

In the camp, tents, trash, needles and used Narcan containers were seen.

“They completely destroyed this property, and we’re going to clean it up," Bernd said. "But we were able to do that without making any arrests — giving them time to get their belongings, providing them the resources and asking them to move along."

He said the initiative has received support of community partners and churches, and will continue as long as the problem exists.

“Absolutely, we are making a difference,” Bernd said.

Anyone who knows someone who could use the help provided by the initiative is urged to contact the Titusville Police Department.