- April 15, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Although law enforcers interact with the homeless often, there’s little they can do to help, some say.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
Law enforcers are often the first in the city to deal with the homeless population, but the tools they have at their disposal to help are limited, some say.
Approximately 30% of homeless adults, according to a 2012 study by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, were “severely mentally ill.” Additionally, the study found 17% were employed, 16% were victims of domestic violence and 13% were military veterans.
The same study found persons experiencing homelessness increased in 60% of cities surveyed. During the year of the study, there was also a decrease in homelessness in 28% of the cities surveyed and 12% stayed the same.
“Homelessness is a societal problem, it’s not a law-enforcement problem,” said Gary Davidson, of the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s something we can’t fix. We’re not actually going out to break up homeless camps or to rouse anybody, because we know there’s nowhere for them to go.”
Generally, there are two types of homeless individuals, said Keith Feder, of the Ormond Beach Police Department.
There’s the chronic homeless, which Feder said includes those with mental health problems or drug or alcohol addictions, and there’s the situational homeless, which he said tend to be individuals recently out of work or living paycheck to paycheck.
Because law enforcement’s purpose is not to patrol for homeless individuals, but to protect citizens and uphold laws, Davidson added, it usually only interacts with those who seek out their help or get into trouble, by panhandling in traffic, for example, urinating in public or getting into disputes with other homeless individuals.
Other individual do their best to avoid law enforcement altogether, to stay “invisible,” as Feder said it was once described to him, because they want to be left alone.
When law enforcement is forced to intervene, the tools at officers’ disposal are limited, and don’t address the long term problem.
Law enforcement can use the Marchman Act, Meyers Act or Baker Act to transport a homeless individual, who is at risk of doing harm to himself or to others, to a facility. But the individual is often released shortly after.
Sheriff’s Office deputies are responsible for tracking down homeless individuals after family members approach a court for an ex parte order for the person to be placed in a facility due mental health problems.
Even when there are family members seeking to help, it can be hard to find the individual, Davidson said, as deputies search shelters and known homeless camps.
Crimes against homeless individuals is also an issue law enforcement deals with, because Davidson said they can be viewed as weak, defenseless or someone who won’t report a crime.
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, Florida and California have the highest number of reported violent crimes against homeless individuals. However, it also said Florida has taken positive steps to reduce the number of violent crimes.
In 2010, there was 21 violent acts against the homeless reported in Florida, the National Coalition for the Homeless said. The follow year, after state legislature incorporated homelessness into its hate crimes law, the coalition said there were only four documented incidents.
In 2005, a homeless man was murdered by several teenagers in Holly Hill.
If the individuals don’t want help, there’s little law enforcement can do, officials say.
“For those who want the help, it’s not always there,” Davidson said. “It’s heartbreaking when we encounter those situations, because if we can take some action, we do. But many times there’s nothing we in law enforcement can do.”
