Are Unsubstantiated Arrests Being Done On The Homeless In Ventura, CA?
The allegations are this… the Ventura Police are arresting homeless people in their community solely to get them off the streets. No crime has occurred—the only “crime” is being homeless. Here is the article.
Nine homeless people were jailed for two days in that coastal community. Although the city attorney’s office is now saying that it was a mistake, clearly handcuffing a person and tossing them in jail without cause cannot be a simple error.
It’s clear that law enforcement seems to be stuck in the middle of community inaction in dealing with homelessness. When nothing happens, as is the case in most communities, law enforcement is the last resort. It’s not fair for these officers to become default social workers. We hire them to fight crime, not fight homelessness.
I do understand that some law enforcement officers get frustrated with dealing with the homeless problem. It’s not their job.
But it is also the role of advocacy groups—like the ACLU—to protect the rights of people who are homeless.
I met with Ramona Ripston, the CEO of ACLU/Southern California, this morning. Her view is balanced. She says that if there were enough shelter beds and services for the homeless, then it would be appropriate to keep the streets clean and safe.
So let’s not criminalize those who become homeless. Instead, for the sake of the homeless, of our community, of law enforcement officers, let’s provide enough services, shelter, and housing so that we don’t have to fight over dealing with homelessness.
posted by LA's Homeless Blog at
6:10 PM
4 Comments:
SO JOel you are saying that her opinion is that not unless there are more shelters and houing then there is no need to keep the streets clean and safe.
Do you mean the law enforcement part of it or the actually making sure the streets are cleaned on a conitnuous basis.
If not I disagree. If the people have to live in the streets then the streets must be clean.
Expoun a little more on your thoguhts on her thoughts.
Please expound a littler more on the thoughts of Ramona Ripston
Don, you bring up the timing issue which is a good point. Do we (the community) wait until there enough beds and services before we "clean up the streets"? Or does the community do it now?
We (Ramona and I) didn't really talk about the timing of it. I just thought it was significant for her to present a balanced approach.
In an article published today in the Ventura County Star Cheif-of-Police Pat Miller stated, "Right now as an infraction, violators just rip up the ticket, they laugh at it. The behavior never changes."
To this I say, I am not aware that sleeping is a voluntary "behavior" that one can change. As far as laughing at tickets I haven't seen much laughing about anything from the homeless lately and I work with them daily. On the contrary what I have observed is an increase in desperation and anger as police push harder and harder on people who have extremely limited options. The homeless are told to get into a program, and many are trying, but there aren't enough beds. I run a ten bed transitional shelter for mentally ill adults in downtown Ventura that is being inundated by requests for service, by people (many of whom don't qualify for our services) desperate to escape the harrassment.
It also doesn't help that city officials whose conduct should be exemplary, are blatantly ignoring that the rights to equal protection of the homeless are being violated left and right. How many non-homeless individuals have been cited for illegal storage because they had a bookbag type backpack sitting next to them in a park or on the promenade? How many have been told they cannot be on the pier or in the park? I carry a backpack and sometimes sit in the park. Am I at risk for being cited?
The rights of citizens of Ventura are being trampled, and regardless of how you feel about the homeless you should care about this. You may be next!
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
--paraphrased from the writings of
Pastor Martin Niemöller
keep the faith,
Kim E. Devine
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