25 signatures reached
To: Rep. Vikki Goodwin, Rep. Erin Zwiener, Rep. Eddie Lucio III, Rep. Elizabeth Campos, Rep. Rafael Anchia, Rep. Alma Allen
Ethical Peace Officers for HB 1925
HB 1925 was implemented to discourage camping in public areas for persons experiencing homelessness. In the bill, the responsibility for enforcing the act is placed in the hands of police officers. These specific police officers are named "peace officers," as they are meant to encourage those experiencing homelessness to access social services resources instead of camping in public areas. Peace officers are also allowed to issue citations and arrests if individuals are uncooperative. Often, people experiencing homelessness have undergone tremendous trauma in their lives, before and during the experience of being unhoused. They could have untreated mental health issues, be scared of law enforcement because of traumas they have endured, and fear being displaced from the only home they know in the current moment. To ensure the safety and well-being for all persons experiencing homelessness, this petition is requiring all peace officers be accompanied by a licensed social worker when engaging with the population. Social workers are specialized in dealing with vulnerable and marginalized populations, with intensive knowledge on de-escalation skills and trauma-informed care. In addition, peace officers must undergo trainings on the population of persons experiencing homelessness to ensure they are competent to engage peacefully with population.
Why is this important?
No matter what your opinions are of homelessness, we are pleading you remember those who are unhoused are human as you are. They have the right to be treated in a fair, just, and humane way. We understand it is the job of the peace officer to ensure the enforcement of the bill and safety for the communities impacted by it. We are not arguing with that, we are simply asking there be regulations and proper trainings on how to engage with such a vulnerable population.