Truth about homelessness revealed on police ride-alongs

STEVENS POINT — Alderperson Kneebone and Alderperson Shuda recently completed a ride-along with the Stevens Point Police Department and shared their experiences during the Aug. 17 Common Council meeting.
During a July 13 Public Policy and General Government meeting, the discussion of police work with the homeless community sparked a lengthy public debate. At the meeting, two proposed amendments were being considered that would have banned vehicle habitation or RV and camper parking on city property. The amendment about the campers was voted against during the meeting, but the amendment regarding vehicle habitation was sent back for revisions. Police Chief Ed Orgon invited council members and community residents to come on a ride-along with a Stevens Point police officer to see the work that the department puts into helping the homeless community with resources as well as cleaning up after the homeless community.
So far, Kneebone and Shuda have taken Orgon up on that offer.
Kneebone shared her experience, stating, “The first thing I learned is that we are clueless.” She stated she even sustained some minor cuts while pulling down tree limbs and cleaning up an encampment. Kneebone also shared her conversation with a community service officer who stated that when a community service officer works a full shift of writing out tickets for parking, their position brings $150,000 back to the city in revenue a year. However, the community service officers are finding their shifts more split between cleaning up trash and encampments versus solely writing parking tickets and violations.
“So if he’s spending four hours each morning picking up trash and things left in these encampments, we’re losing money.” Kneebone said. During her ride-along, Kneebone witnessed the officers knowing each homeless resident by their names and offering resources to help.
On the topic of the ordinance amendments posed in the July meeting, she said, “Unless we really understand the situation, we can’t craft a good ordinance.” Kneebone said. She encouraged all the other council members to take Orgon up on his ride-along offer.
She spoke in favor of tweaking and creating amendments that give the officers “a little more to work with” when dealing with people that are chronic problems. “Not everyone in that community is a chronic problem. Many of them are very respectful, take care of stuff.”
Shuda detailed his ride-along with Lieutenant Justin Klein, “I came away describing the experience as eye opening.” During his ride-along he shared that they cleaned up trash, checked on locations, and responded to people experiencing homelessness. Shuda witnessed officers enter a vacant building with guns drawn, unsure of what they’d find inside.
Along with his experience with the department, Shuda met with a local volunteer near the downtown bus stop to hand out food to homeless residents. That evening, 16 residents were fed.
“I watched what happened before, during, and after the meal. I saw people being courteous, I saw them clean up their areas, I saw an effort to keep things orderly and respectful.” Shuda said. The volunteer he accompanied also will feed the homeless community across the river in Kash Park.
“What struck me the most about these people was their passion. These people aren’t simply talking about homelessness; they’re actually out there every week spending their own time trying to help people who are struggling.” Shuda said. “Over the past couple weeks I’ve seen two very different sides of the issue. I’ve seen what our police officers have to deal with. I’ve seen people in our community who try to help.”
Shuda suggested more of an individualistic approach to helping the homeless community. “Maybe our approach should be less about treating homelessness as one large problem and more about asking what we can do to help that one individual.” Shuda described many homeless residents who aren’t aware of what resources they may be eligible for, how to receive certain care, and more. He said one elderly homeless woman should be receiving Social Security benefits but is not and unsure of how to receive them.
“As a council I believe we need to make decisions based on what we actually see and experience, not simply on assumptions or what we hear from one side or the other.” Shuda said.
Mayor Wiza stated the invite still stands for council members to experience a ride-along per Chief Orgon’s original invitation.