The New Police Response to Homelessness:
Outreach and Services, Not Arrests
While the nature of homelessness has not changed very much, there has been a sea change in how law enforcement agencies respond to it. Approximately 250 law enforcement leaders, local government officials, researchers, and other subject matter experts convened in Long Beach, CA on January 24, 2018 for a day-long PERF conference on homelessness. They told us that they have learned that making arrests is not an effective response. Rather, today’s police and sheriffs’ departments see their role as taking leadership and finding innovative solutions, which often involve multi-faceted activities with social service agencies, other government departments, and other partners.
Outreach and Services, Not Arrests
While the nature of homelessness has not changed very much, there has been a sea change in how law enforcement agencies respond to it. Approximately 250 law enforcement leaders, local government officials, researchers, and other subject matter experts convened in Long Beach, CA on January 24, 2018 for a day-long PERF conference on homelessness. They told us that they have learned that making arrests is not an effective response. Rather, today’s police and sheriffs’ departments see their role as taking leadership and finding innovative solutions, which often involve multi-faceted activities with social service agencies, other government departments, and other partners.