This article is based on research conducted as a part of the CA POST Command College. It is a futures study of a particular emerging issue of relevance to law enforcement. Its purpose is not to predict the future; rather, to project a variety of possible scenarios useful for planning and action in anticipation of the emerging landscape facing policing organizations.
The article was created using the futures forecasting process of Command College and its outcomes. Managing the future means influencing it — creating, constraining and adapting to emerging trends and events in a way that optimizes the opportunities and minimizes the threats of relevance to the profession.
By Lieutenant Paul Cervantes
In California, as in many places, the homelessness crisis has grown into a pressing challenge, particularly in large metropolitan areas. Makeshift shelters and tent-lined streets stand as visible reminders of the increasing number of unhoused individuals, many struggling with cycles of economic hardship, mental illness and substance abuse. For law enforcement, this has created a complex environment where traditional policing methods often fall short. As the unhoused population continues to rise, police departments face growing difficulty maintaining public safety while also navigating the underlying causes of homelessness. [1]
This article does not suggest that law enforcement should lead efforts to provide social services such as housing, rehabilitation or meal programs. Instead, it advocates for a comprehensive, collaborative model in which law enforcement plays a vital support role within a broader system led by social services and health care providers. Programs like the San Diego Rescue Mission, where officers assist in triage and connect individuals with necessary services, offer a blueprint for this approach in California and beyond. [2]
While law enforcement may not manage homelessness directly, its role in maintaining public safety and facilitating access to services is crucial to the overall solution. This approach ensures existing resources are used efficiently and recognizes the limits of law enforcement’s capacity while promoting partnerships with agencies that specialize in addressing the root causes of homelessness. By partnering with such agencies, law enforcement can efficiently connect individuals with the services they need without being overburdened by responsibilities beyond their scope. [3]
While law enforcement may not manage homelessness directly, its role in maintaining public safety and facilitating access to services is crucial to the overall solution.
How did we get here?
The homelessness crisis results from a range of factors, including income inequality, inadequate mental health services and skyrocketing housing costs. Over the last few decades, many major cities have seen staggering rises in their homeless populations. Even communities distant from major population centers are feeling the impacts of these increases. For example, in California, San Joaquin County experienced a 68% increase in homelessness between 2017 and 2020, a significant rise for an area not traditionally associated with such high rates. [4] The situation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic as housing and economic instability soared. [5]
California’s efforts to address homelessness, including allocating nearly $13 billion for housing, mental health services and other support programs, have yet to make a significant impact. [3] Legislative efforts like the “Housing First” approach have shown mixed results, with some cities (e.g., Houston, Texas) seeing improvements, while California continues to struggle despite substantial financial investment. [3,4,6]
Many U.S. cities are poorly equipped to handle homelessness in a holistic manner. They lack collaboration with social services and health care providers, which are essential to addressing the root causes of homelessness. Recent data points to a need for more comprehensive approach that includes addiction and mental health services. [1.7]
Historically, law enforcement’s approach to homelessness has been focused on the visible aspects of the problem, such as illegal camping, trespassing and public disturbances. [1] This has often led to the criminalization of the homeless population without addressing the root causes. [3] The traditional methods of counting the homeless, such as point-in-time surveys, often underestimate the scale of the problem, which further hinders effective policymaking. [8] Additionally, economic disparities and lack of affordable housing have compounded the crisis.
While federal and state initiatives such as the National Housing Trust Fund have attempted to mitigate the problem, systemic failures continue to plague our best efforts. [1] For instance, California allocated over $1 billion in 2020 through Project Roomkey, an initiative intended to provide temporary shelter to thousands of homeless individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the program has been criticized for falling short of its goals, with many homeless individuals returning to the streets once the funding expired, highlighting a failure to establish long-term solutions despite significant investment. [3]
Currently, law enforcement agencies in California are increasingly overwhelmed by the increasing demand of homelessness-related issues. [9] Officers are often called to address minor infractions, consuming significant resources while doing little to address systemic issues. [3] The rise in violent crime among unhoused populations due to factors such as substance abuse and mental illness only adds to the strain. [3,7] While expanding homeless outreach teams helps offload repeated responses by patrol officers, the definitive solution lies in collaboration with social services and health care providers who are better equipped to address the root causes. To succeed, law enforcement must focus on public safety while supporting, rather than leading, these interventions.
The police role in helping the homeless
Moving forward, police departments need to shift from reactive, enforcement-based strategies to more preventative, community-based approaches that address root causes. [9] As they do, community organizations and legislators must also enact laws and policies to create sustainable solutions.
Cities like San Diego have implemented full-service social centers, such as the Oceanside Navigation Center, which serve as models. Additionally, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU) provides a strong example of a program that integrates law enforcement with mental health services, a strategy that could be replicated by other communities. [10] Smaller counties, such as Yolo County, have adopted innovative approaches such as partnerships between the sheriff’s department and local nonprofits to provide mental health outreach to homeless individuals. [11] States like Oregon have shown success with programs like Eugene’s Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets (CAHOOTS), which redirects mental health crisis calls to trained professionals rather than police, offering a promising model for smaller jurisdictions. [12]
Looking at the programs having an impact on the issue, it is clear that approaches that have strong collaboration with health care providers, social workers and NGOs are addressing homelessness more effectively. [1,4] Advocates suggest the police also create specialized law enforcement units, such as mental health outreach teams, to better engage with the unhoused. [7] Moreover, policies for each discipline involved with the issue must shift to advocate for solutions that address precipitating factors, such as expanding affordable housing and improving access to mental health services. [4,7]
Legislators and policymakers need to look beyond temporary fixes and focus on long-term, sustainable solutions. For example, the Cato Institute’s Seth Hill highlighted how certain economic policies, like raising the minimum wage, can inadvertently increase homelessness if not handled carefully. [13] Achieving the goal of constructively reducing the unhoused population will require a fundamental rethinking of resource allocation and how community agencies and the police interact with persons experiencing homelessness. [1] Police leaders should start by increasing funding to support specialized homelessness response within their departments. Public-private partnerships and grants could also be leveraged to supplement municipal budgets and ensure agencies have the necessary resources to meet the demands of the homelessness-related calls. [3]
Finally, training in trauma-informed care, de-escalation techniques and mental health awareness must become standard for officers interacting with the unhoused. [3,7] This training should not be optional but rather mandated at both the academy and in-service levels. For instance, the LAPD’s Mental Evaluation Unit partners officers with mental health professionals to respond to calls involving individuals in crisis. Similarly, San Diego’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) integrates law enforcement with social services, focusing on engagement and connection to resources rather than enforcement. [14] Programs like these demonstrate how effective specialized training can be when officers work alongside professionals to address homelessness with compassion and expertise. They do not happen, though, without a foundation in training to best practices.
| WATCH: The LAPD’s Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU) and SMART teams respond to repeated mental health-related calls with a coordinated approach involving law enforcement and mental health professionals, aiming to reduce unnecessary incarceration and hospitalizations. Through specialized training and collaboration with units like Threat Management and CAMP, officers are better equipped to de-escalate crises, manage high-risk individuals, and connect them with appropriate care.
What training do we need?
The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) offers courses on mental health crisis intervention and de-escalation strategies, [15] but there is room to expand these to include more robust training focused specifically on homelessness. Additionally, making such courses mandatory for officers — especially those in urban areas where homelessness is most prevalent — would ensure all law enforcement personnel are prepared to handle the unique challenges posed by the unhoused population. Training should cover not just de-escalation but also how to identify mental illness and substance abuse issues and connect individuals with appropriate services.
Incorporating mandated updated training for all officers on handling homeless issues would greatly improve the effectiveness of law enforcement interactions with unhoused individuals. This approach could foster more compassionate policing, reduce the use of force and encourage better outcomes. As patrol and investigative resources act to support police outreach teams, the solutions for public safety will begin to outnumber the problems and issues we face today.
By implementing these strategies, law enforcement would shift from a reactive stance to a preventative one, where officers are actively engaged in building relationships with the homeless community, addressing root causes and reducing the frequency of crises that require traditional policing. This approach would likely reduce repeat call for service related to minor infractions, freeing up law enforcement resources for other pressing matters.
The initial costs for training and program development would be offset by long-term savings, as fewer resources would be required for repeated enforcement actions, incarceration and emergency medical services. To get started, cities would need to invest in comprehensive officer training programs, establish partnerships with mental health and social service agencies and reallocate resources toward these preventative measures.
Police departments need to shift from reactive, enforcement-based strategies to more preventative, community-based approaches that address root causes.
Conclusion
Homelessness is a complex issue that law enforcement alone cannot solve. As the unhoused population continues to rise, police departments must move beyond enforcement-driven strategies and adopt a more preventative, compassionate role. True progress requires close collaboration with social services, health care providers and local governments to address root causes like mental illness, addiction and economic disparity. [1,9]
California offers promising models. Programs like San Diego’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) and the Los Angeles Police Department’s Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU) show how partnerships between police and social support systems can achieve long-term success. Moving forward, mandatory training in trauma-informed care, de-escalation and mental health awareness must become the standard, ensuring officers have the skills to support, rather than police, the unhoused. [15]
By reallocating resources and strengthening interdisciplinary partnerships, law enforcement can help create a safer, more equitable future — playing a critical but properly scaled role in a comprehensive, community-based solution. [3,7]
A San Francisco Police Department vehicle drives through a homeless encampment being cleaned up in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023. Cities across the U.S. are struggling with and cracking down on tent encampments as the number of homeless people grows, largely due to a lack of affordable housing. Homeless people and their advocates say sweeps are cruel and costly, and there aren’t enough homes or beds for everyone.
Jeff Chiu/AP
Key questions for chiefs addressing homelessness in their communities
As the challenges surrounding homelessness continue to grow, police chiefs must take a hard look at how their departments are responding — and how they can better align policing efforts with social service systems to create lasting change. The questions and talking points below are designed to help chiefs evaluate local needs, identify gaps and guide strategic conversations within their command teams and communities.
1. What patterns are we seeing in our city’s homelessness-related calls, and are we relying too heavily on patrol to handle situations better suited for social or mental health services?
Talking point: “We need to assess whether our officers are being used as frontline responders to issues that are fundamentally medical or social in nature. If patrol is responding multiple times to the same individuals, we’re not solving the problem — we’re managing symptoms.”
2. Do we have the right partnerships in place — with local nonprofits, mental health providers, or housing agencies — to give officers meaningful options beyond enforcement?
Talking point: “Our department can’t do this alone. If we don’t have active partnerships with service providers, we’re asking officers to do the impossible — and it’s costing us in morale, time and public trust.”
3. How often are our officers responding to repeat contacts with the same unhoused individuals, and what’s preventing us from breaking that cycle?
Talking point: “Repeat contacts aren’t just a data point — they’re a red flag. We should be tracking these interactions and using them to trigger coordinated interventions, not just more enforcement.”
4. Is our current training — in trauma-informed care, de-escalation and mental health — enough to support officers dealing with complex, high-stress encounters involving the unhoused?
Talking point: “Officers want to do the right thing, but we need to give them the right tools. We should evaluate whether our academy and in-service training reflects the real-world demands of modern homelessness response.”
5. What’s stopping us from launching (or strengthening) a co-responder team or specialized unit, and how can we better align internal priorities and external resources to make that happen?
Talking point:"We’ve seen successful models in other cities — this is not about reinventing the wheel. It’s about deciding that mental health and homelessness are priorities worth addressing with the right structure and the right partnerships.”
Use these prompts during command briefings, city council planning sessions, or interagency meetings to help define your department’s path forward in addressing homelessness with purpose, balance, and collaboration.
References
- Gutierrez EC, Allan E, Haberle M. The National Housing Trust Fund and fair housing: A set of policy recommendations. Poverty & Race Research Action Council; 2021.
- San Diego Rescue Mission.
- Perez I. It’s time to take accountability: California is ready and able to solve homelessness. Univ Pacific Law Rev. 2023;54(3).
- Calder VB, Gygi J. Housing markets first: Housing supply and affordability are key to reducing homelessness. Cato Institute; 2023.
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Robust COVID relief achieved historic gains against poverty and hardship, bolstered economy. 2022.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The 2022 annual homelessness assessment report (AHAR) to Congress. 2022.
- Hong C, Hoskin J, Berteau LK, et al. Violence victimization, homelessness, and severe mental illness among people who use opioids in three U.S. cities. J Interpers Violence. 2023.
- O’Donnell J. Estimating annual homelessness. Demogr Res. 2020;43(1).
- Frank RG, Glied SA. America’s continuing struggle with mental illnesses: Economic considerations. J Econ Perspect. 2023;37(2):153-176.
- Los Angeles Police Department. Mental Evaluation Unit – MEU.
- Yolo County. Mental health.
- White Bird Clinic. CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On the Streets).
- Hill SJ. Minimum wages and homelessness. Cato Institute; 2023.
- City of San Diego. Neighborhood Policing Division.
- State of California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
About the author
Paul G. Cervantes is a lieutenant with the Fresno (California) Police Department, where he commands the Street Violence Bureau. With more than 28 years of law enforcement experience, he has led homicide investigations, overseen undercover tactical operations, and directed major gang and narcotics enforcement initiatives. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and graduate of POST Command College, he holds a master’s degree in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership from the University of San Diego. He is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in Security Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School. Cervantes also serves as an adjunct criminology instructor at Reedley College.