Police officers have a duty to respond to the needs of the homeless. They are required to do this without any kind of discrimination. Most police officers have low trust levels in homeless people as they believe that homeless individuals are a threat to security. The relationship that exists between the homeless people and paramedics is more durable than that of the police and homeless people. There are reported cases of police assault to the homeless, a practice that makes the homeless afraid and lacks trust in police. The main concerns about the lack of trust between the two parties have, however, not yet been fully identified. This paper outlines the relationship between the police and the homeless and how the two interact with each other. Police officers interact with homeless people in a variety of ways. When it comes to racial background, the police officers do not bias against any race and treat all homeless people equally. Research has stated that both the white and the non-white homeless people get equal treatment from the police. When it comes to contact with police officers, non-white youths who are homeless, along with minorities, are more likely to experience contact with the police. Research has shown that non-white homeless youth have more cases of police harassment than white homeless children (Ivanich & Warner, 2019). The subsequent arrests of the homeless people living in the streets are similar in both the white and minority groups. Unlike race, homelessness, to some extent, makes individuals of all races be on an equal level. Police perception, policies, and practices towards the homeless is an essential aspect that provides an insight into the relationship that exists between the two parties. Reports have it that some police officers are not free during the interactions that they have with the homeless people. This situation is attributed to the fact that homeless individuals get viewed as a threat to the public (Robert, Crawford & Burns, 2013, p. 357). The lost trust that police have in homeless individuals is because the homeless seem to be a threat to security. Most police officers' interactions with homeless people are when they get reports of concern from the public. The police will usually arrest homeless people when they are suspected of having committed a crime, loitering aimlessly on the streets, mental episodes, or for drugs or drug-related offenses. The homeless people are more often viewed as trouble-makers by the public, even though such individuals hardly engage in criminal activities. Police officers believe that criminal and anti-social behavior from the homeless could be prevented if they move from the streets to live in homeless campaigns (McNamara, Crawford & Burns, 2013). Homeless peoples interact on most levels with police officers and paramedics. When it comes to trust levels, though, research has shown that homeless people have higher trust levels in the paramedics than in the police. This behavior is a contradicting situation as the police officers have the mandate to maintain law and order. Most homeless people treat police officers with much suspicion (Zakrison, Hamel & Hwang, 2004, p.596). The lack of trust is the reason behind the lack of cooperation between the homeless and the police. Homeless individuals were more willing to call paramedics in an emergency than the police. The statistics attribute to the fact that the police are more likely to assault homeless people than the paramedics, making it easier for such individuals to feel safe with paramedics than with police (Aulette & Aulette, 1987, p.224). Several reports reveal that there are adverse interactions between the police and the homeless as homeless individuals perceive the police as a barrier to their efforts in seeking emergency help. It is, however, not clear whether the adverse interactions that homeless people have with the police and the excellent relationships that they have with paramedics are a result of assault from police, or they are just afraid.
References
Aulette, J., & Aulette, A. (1987). Police harassment of the homeless: The political purpose of the criminalization of homelessness. Humanity & Society , 11 (2), 244-256.
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Ivanich, J. D., & Warner, T. D. (2019). Seen or unseen? The role of race in police contact among homeless youth . Justice Quarterly: JQ, 36(5), 816-840. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/10.1080/07418825.2018.1463389
McNamara, R. H., Crawford, C., & Burns, R. (2013). Policing the homeless: Policy, practice, and perceptions. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management , 36 (2):357-374
Robert, H. M., Crawford, C., & Burns, R. (2013). Policing the homeless: Policy, practice, and perceptions. Policing, 36(2), 357-374. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/10.1108/13639511311329741
Zakrison, T. L., Hamel, P. A., & Hwang, S. W. (2004). Homeless people's trust and interactions with police and paramedics. Journal of Urban Health, 81 (4), 596-605.
