DOWNTOWN Police officers spent more than half their time last year issuing citations and arresting those who were homeless or living at a local social services center, according to law enforcement officials.
In 2005-06, SMPD officers made roughly 3,000 arrests — nearly 1,800 of which involved those without a permanent address, for an estimated cost of just over $2 million. Those figures don’t include the countless number of hours officers spend speaking with homeless people, trying to convince them to access services and turn their lives around, said SMPD Deputy Chief Phil Sanchez.
“It’s difficult to come up with a direct associated cost because of the varied duties required,” Sanchez said. “I don’t think I would couch it as a ‘drain’... We respond to all community concerns with an equal commitment to resolve the situation.
“Throughout the organization, the department has really diversified its ability and opportunities to combat homelessness … We are really trying to tackle this as a region, hooking up with various agencies because we recognize that Santa Monica cannot do this alone, nor should we be solely responsible for addressing the issue.”
One way the SMPD has tried to tackle homelessness is through the Homeless Liaison Program, or HLP team, which is comprised of six officers who combine traditional law enforcement duties with more social service-oriented work. The HLP team was developed in 1991.
In addition to HLP teams, the SMPD also has 20 park rangers assigned to the city’s parks, beaches and open spaces. The primary focus of their work is homeless-related.
“The chief is currently doing an assessment of our resources to see what might be necessary in the future,” Sanchez said.
In 2005-06, the HLP team responded to approximately 2,400 incidents involving transients and made about 2,900 periodic checks on property and open space.
One common source of frustration is the lack of jail time those who are convicted typically receive, given the overcrowded conditions at county jails. Oftentimes, those who are found guilty of a minor offense, such as being drunk in public or failing to pay citations, never serve more than three days in county jail. This has forced the SMPD and other law enforcement agencies to be more creative in how they address repeat offenders.
On Friday, City Hall’s new Homeless Community Court was in session for the first time (see related story), focusing on chronically homeless individuals who have multiple citations and warrants for their arrests. In exchange for their participation in
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 3, 2007. Read the original PDF.