Why You Shouldn’t Call the Police on a Homeless Person (and What to Do Instead)
People think the homeless market here in Portland, Oregon is cornered, but this winter’s trip to Idaho, Utah, and Arizona helped make sure it’s not unique to the West Coast; it is endemic. The homeless cause anxiety in people, which explains how tenants often react. They bothered me too when someone first camped on my sidewalk. My anxiety confused me, so I became curious as to where it came from.
This curiosity led me to a series of attempts to help the homeless by working with mutual aid agencies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. I don’t have all the answers, but I have developed personal rules that now help me get going. They’re imperfect and constantly evolving, but here’s what I’ve learned along the way.
Homeless People Remind Us That We Can Easily Become Homeless
Sixty-three percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck , we have very little social safety net in America, and we are currently trying to remove most of it . It’s a common misconception that “services are there”, but to understand how access to these limited services works, you need to try to help someone access them.
Think back to when you had to deal with your health insurance, cable company, or tax office, and how tedious and time-consuming it was. You probably still did it, but it was clear who to call, and you did it from the comfort of your home or work, on a mobile phone with unlimited minutes and charged, in a warm place, with a refrigerator and pantry nearby.
Now try to re-imagine yourself doing this, trying to warm your body enough to not shiver, in clothes you’ve been wearing for days, surrounded by traffic noise, with a phone you borrowed and nowhere to charge, trying to figure out how you get your next meal. You probably haven’t had enough sleep in a long time because of the cold, safety concerns, or because the police are forcing you to pack and move suddenly with nowhere to go.
These services will most likely say there is a waiting list and ask how they will contact you when the time is right. They may suggest that you’ll have better luck if you go in there, but they don’t offer any way to get you there, and to do so is to break everything you have and bring it with you – and if you leave that place, where you are, you will lose your place. Your belongings are all you have left in the world and they are essential for survival. Challenges against you are often incredibly difficult, even if you have the emotional bandwidth to get started.
People without houses remain people
The homeless are not “homeless”. They have a space that is theirs, even if it’s just a small space they’ve carved out and it’s moving. They have relationships with the people around them, they form communities, neighborhoods, just like you. What they lack is a document or lease and the appearance of a “house” in the sense we understand it. As proof, what’s the difference between VanLife and homelessness other than interior design and a TikTok account?
The bottom line is that people without a home are lazy, but given the circumstances they have to live in every day, they can be the hardest working people in the world because simply surviving requires an inordinate amount of physical and emotional effort.
Rachel Hermansen, organizer of Oregon’s ad hoc self-help network, sometimes referred to as the Burrito Block, explains, “You’re walking, looking for resources, not everyone will have access to transportation. There are so many barriers when a person is homeless and wants to get out of it. Not having a state ID is a huge barrier.”
Kaia Sand, chief executive of Street Roots (part of an international network of street newspapers that creates income opportunities for the homeless by focusing its investigative journalism on systemic injustices such as the criminal justice system, evictions and police-related issues), explained how simply not Need to shop for groceries on a daily basis as you don’t have the ability to carry groceries or keep them cold, which affects your daily workload. “You save so much time just by going to the store once a week. Survival exercises are time consuming; homeless people wait for showers for six hours. Efforts are constantly being made to survive.”
Hermansen explains that while the large homeless camps intimidate the locals, they help by reducing the burden on each person by helping to take care of each other.
She highlighted how overlooked the fact that many homeless people actually work. “They are struggling to get to work, to buy clothes for work.”
Many Americans, while working, are simply homeless, have no credit, work history, or recommendations for permanent housing approval, or have a criminal record simply because they don’t have a home.
Recognizing that the homeless are not just “lazy” would also mean that not only is hard work keeping us from homelessness, but there is less of our control than we would like to believe . Another way to think of “luck” is that no matter how hard we worked, the circumstances worked in our favor.
Why You Shouldn’t Call the Police
Simply put: don’t call the police . Candice Avalos , community leader in Oregon, says: “I don’t think you should call the police when a homeless person is camping on your street. The police cannot solve the problem; they don’t have the tools.”
The police are not trained to deal with the homeless and have proven time and time again that they stick to one note in their decisions : violence . Even if you don’t want someone on your street, you must actively wish them harm in order to call the police. Avalos notes, “If they just exist and don’t bother anyone, you shouldn’t call anyone.”
Second, they don’t solve the problem . The police are just sweeping people on your block. They don’t tell them where they can go (except perhaps to a shelter that isn’t for everyone ), and they don’t offer to take them there. Often they throw away many of their belongings or make false promises to keep things in storage . At the very least, one has to gather up one’s whole existence and drag oneself back into the unknown, with nowhere to go. Every time this happens, it adds another layer of trauma to someone who has probably already experienced unimaginable problems . Even if you just don’t sympathize and just want the homeless out of your sight, the police offer a temporary, at best, solution.
“The criminalization of homelessness has been a constant problem,” says Sand. She explains how a cycle is created: the police meet a homeless person, check if he has a warrant, and if so, it is most likely due to his lack of permanent housing. So, they get arrested, which creates another mistake on their track record, and each of those mistakes makes it harder to get a house or a job in the future. At the same time, a huge amount of police resources are directed towards addressing issues of homelessness, crimes such as trespassing and unwanted persons that would not be there if people had housing. For example, last year , half of all arrests in Portland, Oregon involved homeless people .
Exceptions, as Hermanson suggests, are cases where “there is an imminent threat of harm to other people or the threat of loss of life. If there are deadly weapons, there are threats and there is no way to de-escalate, I might see the police call.” But she cautions: “If a person is having a mental health crisis or is threatening to harm themselves , I don’t think it’s best to call the police.”
Sand goes further: “When someone is in distress, the last thing he needs is a few officers with weapons standing over him; it only makes the situation worse.” In 2019, Street Roots commissioned the Oregon Homeless Study , conducted by the homeless. The study found that “regardless of how they assessed their interactions, many respondents spoke of rude rather than polite and respectful treatment by the police.”
Sand told two stories. “Last year, a merchant died, a black man suffering from a mental illness, so he sometimes screamed. He said: “When my brain itches, the last thing I need is a badge and a gun, I need a calm, soothing voice.” This description is useful to show that when you send a first response specialist whose job is not to de-escalate and relieve stress, you will get the wrong answer. When we de-escalate, it’s one on one; no one feels trapped.”
How to approach a homeless person
“If you sincerely want to help a person, then if you feel comfortable, you should talk to him directly and ask what he needs,” says Avalos.
I’ll start by introducing myself. I stand as far from someone’s tent as I am from the front door to the porch. This is their space. I don’t want to appear threatening or scared. Presenting yourself is a sign of respect. “Hi. I’m Amanda. I live around the corner; I just wanted to introduce myself. You don’t have to come out if you don’t want to, but I’m going to have dinner and would like to know if you want anything.”
According to the Homelessness Coalition, you can start a conversation by simply asking how their day was or talking about the weather. Treat them like a neighbor.
“If you can get their names while they are not upset, it will help a lot when they are upset ,” says Sand. “People may seem to be in a different state of mind and you call them by name and they respond. When someone is in crisis, you don’t want to block or surround them. It’s terrible for people when we feel trapped. Treat yourself like an open door for someone to leave. Show your hands, turn around, don’t put your hands in your pockets. Another thing that is really helpful is to breathe. We are such social beings that we mirror each other.”
Sometimes when I talk about it, people ask if it’s dangerous, and I confess that when I first started camping or approaching people, I was scared. I tried again to understand why I was frightened. Are these experiences really more dangerous than approaching someone on the street or on a porch? In my experience, this is not the case. I have watched thousands of people on TikTok approach any stray or wild animal with less fear than humans; we have it within us.
“Personally, I feel comfortable approaching any person,” Hermanson said. “In our area, we just walked up to someone’s tent and introduced ourselves. “Just checking to see if you need any food or supplies today” and try to develop camaraderie; let them know that some members of the community are safe and can provide support.”
The only signs that would make her think twice were the echoes of how you feel about your housemates. “If someone is clearly in a mental health crisis, I will avoid that situation. If a person says no to support, you don’t want to push.”
People know better what they need, and it takes some time to get over the preconceived idea of what they should want. By asking what might be good for them or what they might like, you create an easier path than “what you need” because many people in this position go out of their way not to be a burden or appear needy. Just offer to do what they asked for if you can, even if it’s not what you might want in the situation or think they need. When I’ve had a shitty day, I probably need something to do to get my endorphins going, but I want ice cream. It’s really no different.
Having worked with self-help groups, I want to make a few points in particular. “Hey, can I charge your phone or charger for you? Can I do laundry for you? How are you doing with socks, underwear and shirts? Would it be helpful if I had some for you? The answer is often yes. Since neither of you can predict how fast they might need to move, I also let them know where I am going with their stuff. “I’ll bring it in three hours, but I’m that house with the blue mailbox if you need them sooner.”
The Homelessness Coalition is offering advice sheets , explaining we can go further by offering water so they can bathe, telling them what day the trash is being picked up, offering trash bags, and suggesting they call for resources.
How to help them connect to services
It’s helpful to understand what services exist in your city before you run into someone who needs them. Let’s say tomorrow you found a person who is ready to help: what would you connect him with? Most cities have shelters, but that doesn’t mean they have beds or are accessible to everyone. They are crowded, noisy and often unsafe. There’s a reason many people choose not to use them , especially if they have sensory issues or past trauma. The shelters aren’t open during the day, so residents still need to find a place to go early in the morning and then line up again at night, so it’s often more efficient, safer, and get you better sleep in a tent than choosing a shelter.
What exists besides this? Prioritize: Find places that offer immediate help. A place to sleep, food and medical services. Find the nearest free clinic, the nearest food pantry, and the nearest shelter. Now move on to long-term resources, because this is where you can be most helpful. Getting someone on the radar of city or county services is key to long-term housing, social services, attorneys, employment programs, and counseling. Sand suggests Google “care continuum, city name.” Don’t Call the Police has a large list of services by city. Don’t just offer these resources to the person you’re talking to, offer help making calls.
Hermanson suggests finding someone who is already working with homeless neighbors and contacting them if you’re afraid to do it yourself. She started with the non-profit Portland Mutual Aid Network and then expanded to form her own collective that distributes food and care kits. When homeless people ask who she is with, she replies, “We’re just your friends and neighbors.”
Talk to neighbors. Communities can help prevent homelessness by being another part of the social network, but they can also be part of the solution . If you trust your neighbors, you can let them know about the person. (“This is Henry. He is about 50, he likes to talk, and he could use socks.”) You can work together to provide them with food or a place to take out the trash. You can also ask them not to call the police, although it’s best to discuss this before a problem arises. Hermanson offered this clue to neighbors who might be alarmed: “Hey, could you give me a call before you call the police? Let’s first see if we can find a solution for everyone.”
Keep a resource sheet with suggested alternative services for you to have when you need it. Once you have established at least a basic relationship with someone, you can ask permission to talk about services and whether they are interested in your help. “Hey, do you mind if we talk a little about what resources exist? I would like to help you if you want.” If they are open to it, ask what they have tried before. Don’t discount their experience; they are not yours. Ask if they think it would be helpful if you tried to call or help with applications. Never assume; always ask permission.
Once you start trying to help someone get services, you will realize how absurdly difficult it is, and it will completely change your worldview that the homeless are just stubborn and refuse help.
Understand the difference between structural assistance and mutual assistance
The social network is made up of various types of assistance: government organizations such as the Department of Housing at the county or city level, and the Department of Economic Security (sometimes simply referred to as “Homeless Services”).
Next come non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and privately owned non-profit organizations. Every city has different organizations, including food warehouses, religious groups offering services, independent shelters, wardrobes, vocational trainings, or groups like New Start.
Finally, it is very important to understand what mutual aid is and why it has become very popular. Simply put, mutual assistance is when someone asks for something, and someone just gives. You don’t dispute why someone needs it or if it’s really what they need. It’s immediate. Someone needs $500 to fix a car and people who want to help Venmo give them $500 worth of money. Someone is hungry and you give them food. They need a hotel room for the night and you help pay for it.
These three branches sometimes slander each other for a variety of legitimate reasons. Traditional nonprofits can be saturated with structural racism, too many rules, and too much overhead; and mutual aid requires some blind faith. But in fact, these three types of help work best together. When I was in Arizona, I started seeing signs asking people to stop giving out cash and refer the homeless to 211 instead. But if someone is hungry right now, the referral number is not going to feed their stomach today. If someone is outside, the referral number will put them on the path to help, but won’t give them a place to sleep tonight. But mutual aid is unlikely to find long-term housing or offer legal services from someone who knows the system.
Mutual assistance can come in many forms: it can be helping with finding a job, offering to help practice interviewing, reviewing resumes, or just delivering food, doing laundry, or offering a place to shower. It could be sitting and talking with someone and learning about their life story. Every city has self-help groups, and joining and volunteering will give you so much information about the system.
In the end, none of these proposals will end homelessness—it requires a colossal restructuring of the social system that created the problem. However, I know that every encounter with homeless people can lead to only one of two outcomes: first, we make someone’s hard life infinitely harder, and second, we make their life at least a fraction of a percent better for a moment. Choose the last one.