Police put up with repeat trespassers

You pick up a copy of The Pitt News. You turn to the police blotter, and there’s that common… You pick up a copy of The Pitt News. You turn to the police blotter, and there’s that common entry: “So-and-so, homeless, was cited for defiant trespass on

University property.”

Every week, it seems there’s at least one case like this – often more.

Last semester, one homeless man was cited at least nine times for trespassing in Posvar Hall.

But why does this happen?

Pitt police community relations officer Ron Bennett says the issue is not as serious as it may seem.

“It’s not a big problem,” Bennett said. “It’s just that there are a couple of people who continue to do it, and it’s mainly because they don’t have anywhere else to go.”

According to Bennett, someone is cited for defiant trespassing if he “is in the building unauthorized and is told to leave and refuses.”

At that point, police escort the person out of the building. But according to Bennett, officers can only remove them as far as the street because the person has a right to be on public property.

Bennett admitted that this makes it harder to keep people from repeatedly trespassing.

After the person is removed from the property, the citations go the magistrate’s office. If the person wants to contest the charge, they have a hearing. If not, they pay the fine and go on their way.

These fines can add up, reaching up to $500 for repeat offenders.

If the problem becomes severe, the magistrate’s office can issue a warrant for the person to be put in jail the next time they are cited for defiant trespassing.

Many of these fines go unpaid, though there are exceptions.

Bennett noted one case that seems to defy conventional logic.

“Even though he’s homeless, he ends up paying the fine,” Bennett said of one offender.

But are there situations where police can make exceptions? What if the offender suffers from a mental disorder?

According to Bennett, the police can only offer limited help to those who suffer from a mental disorder.

Bennett described his interaction with one man.

“If he gets to the point where he’s endangering himself, we can take him to Western Psych[iatric Institute], but they keep him indefinitely,” Bennett said. “For us to send someone, they have to [become dangerous]. They’re either endangering themselves or someone else but it has to be serious danger, like loss of life.”

Bennett added that those who are continuously cited can receive extended care “only if they cooperate and want it.”

So what can be done to help these people?

Bennett said that before taking any action, people need to know the difference between panhandlers and those who are truly homeless. Panhandlers are those who ask for money, while homeless are those without a place to stay. “A lot of people you see are panhandlers,” Bennett said. “Only a handful of them are actually homeless. Not all panhandlers are homeless and not all homeless are panhandlers.”

Bennett offered an easy solution to the problem of nuisance panhandlers.

“Stop giving them money. If we continue to give them money, they’ll continue to panhandle. As for the homeless, there are places.”

The Pitt police issues fliers naming shelters available to homeless people in Oakland. Among these is the East End Cooperative Ministry.

Located at 116 S. Whitfield St., in East Liberty, the East End Cooperative Ministry is open to men 21 and over, provided they register at the shelter’s drop-in center between 3 and 6:30 p.m. The shelter, with its 24 beds, eight cots and overflow area in the dining room, can accommodate around 36 people.

Monday, the Cooperative had 34 people.

“When it gets cold, more people want to seek shelter,” Bret Cogis, the shelter’s emergency homeless services supervisor, said.

He added that about 80 percent of the shelter’s guests are repeats, who are allowed to stay for 60 calendar days per year.

The shelter opens at 7 p.m. every night of the year and closes at 8 a.m. Dinner is served at 8 p.m. and breakfast between 7 and 8 a.m.

The shelter also offers a case management team, which allows it to better cater toward its visitors’ needs.

“A lot of guests don’t have any goals or want any help, so we don’t refuse them,” Cogis said. “Our hope is that one day they will.”

The Salvation Army’s Family Caring Center, located at 424 Third Ave. Downtown, is another option.

“It’s the only shelter of its type in the area that houses the entire family,” Ginny Knor, director of marketing and PR for the Salvation Army’s Western Pennsylvania division, said.

“They live in an apartment-like setting. We will take single dads with kids, single mothers with kids, parents with kids or single women.”

The Salvation Army works to provide these families with financial counseling, medical and dental care.

“We want to empower them with skills and contacts,” Knor said.