Extreme cold brings danger to homeless in Indianapolis INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Along the banks of the White River near downtown, there is a tent city where some of the hundreds of the chronically homeless live. It’s one of the areas the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is visiting during the cold snap to help those in need. Officer Philip Smiley has a pickup bed full of cold weather supplies to distribute to the homeless. He’s also taking them bags filled with food, something to drink, and most importantly, socks. On Monday, Police officers aren’t the only ones out helping people in need. Adults and kids from Kingdom Apostolic Ministries brought bags and supplies to one of the tent cities throughout Indianapolis. “Even as we’re passing out food and toiletries, and offering prayer and any other needs that they have, we always encourage them to go to the warming stations,” Tiffany Porter with Kingdom Apostolic Ministries said. Hundreds of chronically homeless people are spread around Marion County, Smiley said. Some will take the advice and go to a warming shelter, but others will choose not to go for any number of reasons. “It can be as simple as transportation, or it can be as much as just mental illness and they do not want to be around people. They just don’t want to be inside where they feel like they may be victimized. It just runs the gamut of reasons,” Smiley said. For the most vulnerable people in our community, those most at risk of freezing in these temperatures, Smiley’s work is invaluable. “It’s one of the most important jobs we can have. We take an oath to protect people, and those people that are vulnerable to elements – living outside – I couldn’t think of anyone more in need of our services,” Smiley said.