Turlock Police Step Up Homeless Enforcement (Northern California)

The Modesto Bee (California) ^ | July 3, 2007 | Michael R. Shea

[truthkeeper]

TURLOCK — Since the cold-weather shelter closed in May, homeless-related police calls have skyrocketed, said Chief Gary Hampton, so the department is ratcheting up enforcement.
The day after the shelter closed, there was a report of a public sex act on Broadway. Then someone knocked the heads off city sprinklers near the city employees' parking lot, also on Broadway. Then someone defecated outside City Hall.

The grassy knoll, as the homeless call it, is a strip of park-perfect grass bordering the employee parking lot just south of A Street. Many homeless people lounge there during the day, shopping carts lining the road. The homeless resource center and food program are nearby.

When the cold-weather shelter closed, Hampton met with the homeless council, a loose-knit group of California State University, Stanislaus, employees and the homeless that's run through the university resource center. The police, Hampton told them, would take a "spirit of the law" approach. Citations would not be passed out for every violation of city code, such as camping in the park or blocking sidewalks, though offenders might be asked to move. Frustrated, the police now are taking a "letter of the law" approach and will hand out citations.

"There are six or 10 (homeless) people that do conduct themselves accordingly," Hampton said. "The greater majority don't care. They're drinking and smoking marijuana and using methamphetamine and engaging in sexual intercourse right on our sidewalks..."

[truthkeeper]

The proverbial straw that broke the police's back happened last week when City Councilman Kurt Vander Weide, en route to a council meeting, almost hit an intoxicated homeless man passed out in the city parking lot entrance. A dozen or so people were on the grassy knoll, smoking marijuana and drinking.

[NRA1995]

In Merry Olde England, such people were publicly whipped then put into workhouses.

[Sir Hailstone]

These bums can come up with money to smoke weed but not to get their life in order and get off the streets?

[Paladin2]

Gee man, don’t have a cow. It’s a form of early retirement. Housing costs big bucks and gets in the way of recreational spending. Not owning or renting a place sticks it to the man as one is not contributing to the onerous tax burden. One has to get one’s priorities straight.

[VR-21]

"These bums can come up with money to smoke weed but not to get their life in order and get off the streets?"

Get with it man, this is America, and we're not responsible for what we do.

[Sir Hailstone]

“Gee man, don’t have a cow. It’s a form of early retirement. Housing costs big bucks and gets in the way of recreational spending. Not owning or renting a place sticks it to the man as one is not contributing to the onerous tax burden. One has to get one’s priorities straight.”

The rest of us pay taxes so hippies don’t have to? Get stuffed hippie!

[ontap]

I think the happy medium is for them to get off the dope and sauce and rejoin humanity. Simplistic? Yes possible? yes Probable? NOT!!!

[mefistofelerevised]

Turlock use to be a very conservative little town. They are going to clean up the trash. Send them to SF. It has nicer weather.