Capable Allies: Partnering with Law Enforcement in Response to Homelessness

"As homelessness continues to increase across the United States, many communities find that law enforcement agencies have the potential to be capable allies in addressing homelessness-related issues and crime.

Recently, our organization, Safe Night, joined with the National Alliance to End Homelessness and other law enforcement partners who work to address both community safety and homelessness. This collaboration is specifically in response to a recent request from the U.S. Department of Justice on the most effective ways to address homelessness.

Safe Night works directly with communities to provide solutions to increase community trust and safety, we fully support the effort to bring capable law enforcement officers into the fold. It is essential that they have the training necessary to build resilient relationships with collateral professionals and interact with people experiencing homelessness from a trauma-informed perspective.

Increasingly, law enforcement agencies recognize that enforcement-only approaches are not effective in the long term. In fact, they cause friction in community efforts to manage homelessness. Simply clearing encampments and making arrests without coordination and planning with service providers presents two significant problems.

First, as those working in the homeless services field know, clearing encampments merely displaces people and their belongings. It does not address long-term needs. When police unilaterally clear encampments and simply make arrests, it erodes trust in municipal workers and other providers. Without that trust, it is harder to assess and appropriately meet their needs, and more likely that people will not accept services.

Second, when police take action without considering parallel efforts, they alienate essential partners. It is far more effective to join the ongoing efforts of providers and practitioners and benefit from their expertise..."

Read the full post here: Capable Allies: Partnering with Law Enforcement in Response to Homelessness - National Alliance to End Homelessness