Homeless_Persons

Policy 428CSU Police Department Systemwide Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/08/30, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by CSU Police DepartmentHomeless Persons - 1Homeless Persons 428.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to ensure that personnel understand the needs and rights of the homeless and to establish procedures to guide officers during all contacts with the homeless, whether consensual or for enforcement purposes. The CSU Police Department recognizes that members of the homeless community are often in need of special protection and services. The CSU Police Department will address these needs in balance with the overall mission of this department. Therefore, officers will consider the following when serving the homeless community. 428.2 POLICY It is the policy of the CSU Police Department to provide law enforcement services to all members of the community, while protecting the rights, dignity and private property of the homeless. Homelessness is not a crime and members of this department will not use homelessness solely as a basis for detention or law enforcement action. 428.3 HOMELESS COMMUNITY LIAISON The Chief of Police may designate a member of this department to act as the Homeless Liaison Officer. The responsibilities of the Homeless Liaison Officer could include the following: (a)Maintain and make available to all department employees a list of assistance programs and other resources that are available to the homeless. (b)Meet with social services and representatives of other organizations that render assistance to the homeless. (c)Remain abreast of laws dealing with the removal and/or destruction of the personal property of the homeless. This will include: 1.Proper posting of notices of trespass and clean-up operations. 2.Proper retention of property after clean-up, to include procedures for owners to reclaim their property in accordance with the Property and Evidence Policy and other established procedures. (d)Develop training to assist officers in understanding current legal and social issues relating to the homeless. 428.4 FIELD CONTACTS Officers are encouraged to contact the homeless for purposes of rendering aid, support and for community-oriented policing purposes. Nothing in this policy is meant to dissuade an officer from taking reasonable enforcement action when facts support a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. However, when encountering a homeless person who has committed a non-violent misdemeanor and continued freedom is not likely to result in a continuation of the offense or a CSU Police Department Systemwide Policy Manual Homeless Persons Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/08/30, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by CSU Police DepartmentHomeless Persons - 2breach of the peace, officers are encouraged to consider long-term solutions to problems that may relate to the homeless, such as shelter referrals and counseling in lieu of physical arrest. Officers should provide homeless persons with resource and assistance information whenever it is reasonably apparent that such services may be appropriate. 428.4.1 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Homeless members of the community will receive the same level and quality of service provided to other members of the community. The fact that a victim or witness is homeless can, however, require special considerations for a successful investigation and prosecution. Officers should consider the following when handling investigations involving homeless victims, witnesses or suspects: (a)Document alternate contact information. This may include obtaining addresses and phone numbers of relatives and friends. (b)Document places the homeless person may frequent. (c)Provide homeless victims with victim/witness resources when appropriate. (d)Obtain statements from all available witnesses in the event that a homeless victim is unavailable for a court appearance. (e)Consider whether the person may be a dependent adult or elder, and if so, proceed in accordance with the Senior and Disability Victimization Policy. (f)Arrange for transportation for investigation-related matters, such as medical exams and court appearances. (g)Consider whether a crime should be reported and submitted for prosecution, even when a homeless victim indicates that they do not desire prosecution. 428.5 PERSONAL PROPERTY The personal property of homeless persons must not be treated differently than the property of other members of the public. Officers should use reasonable care when handling, collecting and retaining the personal property of homeless persons and should not destroy or discard the personal property of a homeless person. When a homeless person is arrested or otherwise removed from a public place, officers should make reasonable accommodations to permit the person to lawfully secure their personal property. Otherwise, the personal property should be collected for safekeeping. If the arrestee has more personal property than can reasonably be collected and transported by the officer, a supervisor should be consulted. The property should be photographed and measures should be taken to remove or secure the property. It will be the supervisor's responsibility to coordinate the removal and safekeeping of the property. Officers should not conduct or assist in clean-up operations of belongings that reasonably appear to be the property of homeless persons without the prior authorization of a supervisor. When practicable, requests by the public for clean-up of a homeless encampment should be referred to the watch commander. CSU Police Department Systemwide Policy Manual Homeless Persons Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/08/30, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by CSU Police DepartmentHomeless Persons - 3Officers who encounter unattended encampments, bedding or other personal property in public areas that reasonably appears to belong to a homeless person should not remove or destroy such property and should inform the department watch commander if such property appears to involve a trespass, blight to the community or is the subject of a complaint. It will be the responsibility of the watch commander to address the