"Little John" Homeless Jam

It wasn't long ago I discovered this homeless camp in a remote area off of Hillsborough Ave. "John" and "Scotty" are two of three homeless men that have lived in the camp for well over a year. Admittedly, it is one of the most well put together homeless camps that I have seen in the hills of the county. Not too long ago, "John" asked for help to get off the streets and I have recently started working with him to get his homeless recovery moving along. Shortly after my most recent visit to the camp the strumming duo broke into a jam session and the rest was caught on tape.

"For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required."

This past Wednesday morning started out like most with the homeless initiative in full-swing -- it's 7:00 am, traveling north on Dale Mabry Highway in morning traffic headed to an early morning appointment where two of my recently housed candidates are waiting for a ride to Workforce Alliance to get help with employment assistance.

Then came the distraction on the side of the roadway. A sixty-year-old man, shirtless and pot-bellied, thumbing a ride as he hobbled with a limp in the concrete gutter.

It doesn't take an expert eye to identify the telltale signs of homelessness: disheveled, unkempt in appearance, surrounded and beset with troubles. I doubled back rerouting abruptly into the closest parking lot to intercept the staggered hitchhiking senior.

The open-ended introduction usually starts in a typical fashion on the street, "What's going on?" I said. Bypassing the formal exchange in the interest of the tight morning schedule.

The man's name is James, and as suspected -- he has been homeless for a year -- just released from the community hospital up the street. He still wears the hospital wrist band and the impressions of two heart monitoring leads freshly ripped from his chest. James tells me that he's thumbing a ride to the social security office but admits he doesn't know it's exact location. With no realistic plan in mind James is a wandering and haphazard mess, his outcome out of his grief is determined by and dependent only on chance and blind luck.

A quick assessment reveals the most urgent priorities for a man in his condition: food, clothing and at least interim shelter. Within minutes of our first meeting James is in my back seat -- we're on our way to a homeless recovery agency by the 7:30 am deadline for assistance. I scratch out a written referral detailing a summary of James' dilemma with a quick note that says: 

"... call me on my cell when he's done."

We now have a working relationship with these agencies; so now, they're in proper cadence with the strategy that comes along with this type of street engagement. It's this type of cooperating effort between traditionally disconnected government entities that has filled the gaps in what has always been a fragmented system.

Fast forward to 1:30 in the afternoon, my two earlier candidates are finished with their employment assistance and returned home. I get a call from Suzanne, the Homeless Recovery case manager helping James. Suzanne discusses her strategy for James over the telephone and asks for my input -- she explains,

 "I've given him an emergency food voucher, some fresh clothing, and interim housing until the end of the month."

 "Great", I said. He has his head above water and now we can work on solving his bigger problems.

I pick James up and hammer out a few details with Suzanne to get the ball rolling with his recovery -- first, a trip to to the Sweet Bay grocery where customers snap there heads in a double take watching a cop and a homeless man fill the basket with the benefit of a food voucher. Thanks to Leona, an office employee at District III, he also received a bag of mens toiletries which greatly saved him on his food bill. It's a quick $65 Dollar food run then back into the patrol car to his interim housing around the corner. James gets situated into his new bunk, and eventually showered and into some fresh clothing.

However ill-conceived, James came down to Florida a year ago to help his son, but like many, he fell into a trap himself. His solution should be easy, he says: a $110 Dollar bus fare back to New Jersey where he has roots and friends that he know will help. In Florida he has no such legacy of assistance. So the plan is in motion -- I'll reach out to someone for the meager investment in their community, I know someone will step up since, "For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required."

Deputy Steven Donaldson

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

District III Homeless Initiative

Office: (813) 247-0330

Email:  sdonalds@hcso.tamp.fl.us

Facebook.com/HelpCopsHelpUs
HelpCopsHelpUs.org

Jay Berman: "Mayor of Town N' Country" Holds Impromptu Town Hall Meeting

It was during Friday's lunch hour at the Town N' Country ABC Pizza where Jay Berman arrived unannounced.

As you may recall, Jay has been dubbed the "Mayor of Town N' Country" by his homeless cohorts. I'm not certain of it's origin, other than to say it was most likely derived from a sneering contempt.

Nonetheless, he affectionately wears it well; as he spotted me seated in a booth within the crowded dining room with a fellow deputy. Jay stood at the edge of our table to pay homage to the deputy he seemingly feels beholden. Jay probably has received less assistance when compared to the many others we have helped get off the streets. But as Jay put it, while grandstanding with his ear-splitting demonstration of thanks, "You've helped me more than anyone...and I wanted to thank you!"

Jay then reached into his pocket and offers to pay for my lunch buffet.

"Jay, put the money back in your pocket." I said. "I can't take your money, this is what we get paid to do."

I did sit down with Jay later at his table and the before and after picture is almost startling. He's cleaned-up, his hair had been recently cut and his clothes were clean. He even told me that he is trying to kick his fixation with drinking and has been attending "AA" meetings.

The homeless initiative adheres to the "housing-first" philosophy, where we believe once these folks have a home off the streets everything else will eventually fall into place. Jay has proven that for me, since early on I didn't have a lot of faith in his successful rehabilitation.

I'm proud to say Jay has proven that my doubt was wrong -- and with that, he as well re-payed any personal obligation of indebtedness.

Steve

Lenscrafters Set Their Sights On The Homeless

It was an early Wednesday morning when a call for service came in -- a homeless man was sleeping behind a Publix and management wanted him relocated. I pulled my cruiser around the back near the loading dock area and didn't see anything. Then, there on a stack of wooden pallets stored against a retention wall -- I saw some movement. Curled up like a stray cat seeking shelter from the elements, the 6'6" tall homeless man unraveled from his awkward slumber to be greeted by the police.

It's almost a standard sequence of events -- they seek shelter, someone complains and the police show up.

There has always been the unwritten protocol -- you run them for warrants, ask them the redundant question -- what are you doing here? Them you kick' em down the road.

The difference now, of course, when compared to the past is the outcome of the encounter.

We did get Jeffrey, the homeless man, some interim shelter once he realized that he couldn't do it on his own after a few weeks of trying. With every first encounter on the street, the homeless are given my business card along with some parting instructions:

"..the best thing you can do for yourself is stay in touch with me."

They're a little confused at first, with such an offering of help delivered by a uniformed police officer, but the parting message seems to stick. Since most hold on to my name and number and when the reality of life on the streets reaches an unsavory tipping point, they make the phone call.

After getting Jeffrey settled into housing it was the glaring spider-web crack of his prescription lenses that needed fixing first. Things like that break easy when you're sleeping on wooden pallets behind loading docks.

Fortunately, my District I counterpart, Deputy Andrews found Lenscrafters at Brandon Town Center mall that offers prescription replacements for the homeless at no cost. They are a valuable resource -- and soon enough, the gracious staff were more than welcoming with helping Jeffrey. He soon walked out with a free eye exam and fitted with a new replacement pair of prescription glasses.

So, once again, a special thanks to Dr. Winkler and the fine staff at Lenscrafters, Brandon Town Center mall.

Steve

Private Sector Steps Up To The Plate, Again

We all remember Robert, the 24-year-old homeless young man that used to live in a tent behind a church in Town N' Country. It wasn't long after we first discovered Robert camping as a wandering nomad did he get his first sign of relief -- he found a job with a nearby employment agency. Robert saved enough money to rent a small efficiency and is now off the streets.

It's only been a short time since Robert has been off the street, however -- so day-to-day survival is still a struggle. It's not always easy climbing out of a hole and keeping your head above water, particularly when you're trying to do it on your own.

Robert telephoned me August 1st, making a tentative call for assistance -- Robert explained: "I'm going to be short a $100 Dollars for rent this month." We like to follow up on our homeless candidates especially those that have just found their way off the streets; conceding that, once they're into housing we want them to stay there -- even if they need a little boost every now and again.

If I didn't feel Robert was a legitimate case for a little helping hand then I would have nixed his call for relief -- I've had to do it before.

But, in Robert's case I was glad to help.

Looking for a $100 Dollar sponsor, I called the owner of Unique Pest Control, a man I've known for 45-years, Carl Donaldson. The same man that happens to be my dad in as many years. It was a meager investment for someone that's been in business for over 35 years -- but, a sincere gesture of philanthropy nonetheless. I thought that he would be a likely last minute donor following his affirming reaction after reading the story covering the Homeless Initiative in the St Pete Times.

To most of us, $100 Dollars might not deliver the same reaction as when Robert got the word that someone he never met was going to help him out. I think he was mostly surprised that I was able to find someone so quickly that would answer the call for help -- to Robert though, it was a financial windfall.

I know this may not be another story of financial blessing in lotto-sized proportions; but, it is another story of connecting people in need with people who want to help.

A special thanks to my dad for helping out.

Steve

Andy Rios: The 3 Hour Fix

It was the best of cases, it was the worst of cases. It's also an unflattering social parallel where my latest homeless sidekick, Andy Rios, plays the real-life nonfictional protagonist with a virtuous and congenial nature.

In this lateral and contemporary Dickens satire, Rios fell into an abyss -- an 8 month homeless odyssey of life on the street, pushing a shopping cart.

Rios, by all accounts, has a regulated but challenging mental health obstacle. After his mother passed some time ago, he was left to fend for himself in a one bedroom subsidized apartment and he seemed to get by on his own with little help. That was until his one bedroom apartment became disqualified for the rent subsidy which landed him on the street with little notice. For Rios, this predicament is more than just a brain teaser of the crossword solving variety -- it's a debilitating arch villain.

Fortunately for Rios, when you're homeless and on the streets of Tampa a deputy will eventually find you and get you help if you need it -- and, in Rios' case he needed it. After hearing about him in the first email detailing where and how to find him, it was still a few months before I would be able to hunt him down. That's because of his kindred, under the radar demeanor -- he doesn't make waves and isn't the typical source of complaints.

After a co-op of patrol deputies finally unearthed him and alerted me to his location, a quick assessment led to the startling familiarity that he should never have been homeless. He was equipped with his ID card, a monthly disability check, and food stamps -- now he just needed help finding shelter from the anemic fallout of the streets.

As a matter of newly acquired protocol, we don't refer or direct the homeless on where or how to get help -- they get in our back seat and we drive them there. With the homeless initiative in full-swing we know in advance which resources are the most likely to offer the right type of assistance based on their individual circumstances.

When Rios was ultimately snared and evaluated, it wasn't much more than a 3-hour investment in time and resources before we found him a place to stay and shelter from the boulevards and byways of his aimless odyssey of life on the streets.

A special Thanks to Deputy Owen, Deputy Delre, and Deputy Thomas who helped make it happen.

See Andy Rios' story covered by Jeff Butera in the ABC Action News segment posted at the lower end of this blog.

Steve

Homeless Trends: An Applied Social Science Experiment

Consider the last few visits to the grocery store on food shopping day. Of the last five times you went food shopping did you most likely return to the same exact store? For most people the answer is typically: yes! Not a lot of profound theory mixed in with that question but criminologist would explain that all people -- law abiding, those with criminal minds and even the homeless follow daily and weekly traveling rituals called activity patterns.

If you should take three locations to include where you work, where you live, and where you recreate -- they form a geographical pattern, or triangle, called an activity space. Crime analyst use the concept of crime pattern theory to piece together offenders with their offending patterns to distinguish between how offenders search for crime and when they find it by accident.

Those both curious and confused often ask how I manage to track the entire homeless population for north west Hillsborugh county.

The answer is deceptively simple.

If the chronically homeless population don't work, don't have a home they travel to after work and don't generally recreate -- do they have an identifiable activity pattern?

The answer is: yes

But, instead of a triangular activity pattern, the bulk of the population, have a most definite linear geographical traveling ritual up and down the same heavily traveled thoroughfare of Hillsborough Ave.

Human behaviorism explains that when you travel on vacation and look for the ketchup aisle in the unfamiliar layout of your first visit to a different grocery store, you may grow frustrated trying to find the desired condiment shelf in a super mega-store. The homeless are no different as they return to the same watering holes where they know a Lutheran church will feed them at a specific time, location and manner, at the sounding of a 3 o'clock church bell.

An activity pattern would govern a rule of behavior that we have grown accustom to and are most comfortable with, knowing that the owner of the Latin Mini-Mart is more lenient with the homeless loitering behind their store than a neighboring 7-11 might be.

The homeless maintain a pattern they are familiar with as a tenet of street survival which most closely accords with quiet enjoyment as strange as that may sound. They are familiar with the rules of the land, both written and unwritten -- when dealing with the police and those that may be unsympathetic to the plight of the homeless.

A more identifiable component of a social science theory would explain the categorized homeless are merely a subculture, of a much larger, more mainstream demographic group. Because within this subset you have your clicks, your charlatans -- even your outliers and outcasts.

And much like their more mainstream brethren they are undeniably social animals that support each other as part of a shared communal reliance that supports an existing homeless continuum. This communal effect, not unique within the homeless population, is the same supportive structure that comforts the needs and desires of every social animal that is part of an identified community -- subcultural or otherwise.

The hot spot map illustration (upper left-hand corner) is an actual density map which tracked 6 months of my engagement with the homeless on the street. The red or darker the color indicates a higher density of homeless when compared to yellow or lower density of homeless. You can see that their activity pattern is, in fact, linear and follows the main corridor of Hillsborough Ave from Benjamin Rd to the east and Sheldon Rd to the west.

This is where I spend eighty percent of my engagement time and illustrates how I manage an entire homeless population with very little effort.

Steve

District III Homeless Initiative on ABC Action News