An overflow homeless shelter at the Fillmore Center in Northwest Cedar Rapids is tightening police presence following an increase in calls to the cops since it opened in November.

According to the Gazette, the Cedar Rapids police have received 82 calls for service since then, 41 of them being for disturbances, 31 for medical needs as well as calls about thefts and the serving of a warrant, a missing person, a fire alarm, an animal issue, and someone simply wanting to talk to an officer.

Ten arrests have been made for violations like public intox, warrant, or follow-up investigations and disorderly conduct.

Physical police walk-throughs every night have been effective in curbing issues requiring calls as have more activities to keep shelter residents busy.

The Fillmore Center, which is located at 520 11th St. NW is what is called a "wet shelter" which means it does admit intoxicated residents. Police talking to the Gazette noted that plus various mental health concerns are always cause for the mostly nuisance issues that have been a problem at Fillmore, which is being considered as a possible permanent homeless shelter for Cedar Rapids.

If the handful of problems can be kept to a minimum after increased police presence, it helps the chances of that becoming a reality.

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