MB magazine | Winter 201327

safety first/seguridad pública

HOMELESS NOT HELPLESSIvette Díaz

The homeless are not new to South Florida. Our region’s weather, the tourists and the ocean are a big attraction. According to Homeless Census conducted in August 2012, there were approximately 186 homeless persons living in the streets of Miami Beach, with about 144 in South Beach.

“The first thing we offer them is shelter and rehabilitation services to get them back on their feet,” said Homeless Program Coordinator Katherine Martinez of the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) at the City of Miami Beach. HOT works to reduce the number of homeless, by providing them outreach, shelter, rehab and relocation assistance services.

While a good number of homeless persons accept help, many do not. The vagrants within the homeless community commit crimes and are usually repeat offenders. A new partnership between HOT and the Miami

Beach Police Department (MBPD) is addressing this segment of the homeless community. MBPD assigned a full-time police officer to address aggressive panhandling, illegal camping and public drunkenness by habitual vagrants.

Officer Ysidro Llamoca works with HOT and started the Habitual Misdemeanor Offenders program, with public safety as its primary focus. Llamoca networks 24/7 with HOT and helps them do outreach in South Beach, addresses vagrant issues citywide, and works closely with homeowner and merchant associations.

“My approach is one of dignity and compassion. For those who want and accept our assistance, we work extremely hard to get them the services they require,” said Officer Llamoca.

For those who repeatedly refuse services and are arrested for violating state laws, a different approach is taken. Officer Llamoca now appears in court to make sure that the vagrant enlists

in a rehab program to get him/her off the street, or tries to get a bond to keep them in jail.

“Before the program, our officers would sometimes arrest the same vagrant twice during a 10-hour shift,“ said Miami Beach Police Captain Mark Causey.

Nick Kazumoff owns a restaurant on Lincoln Road. He says that while some of the homeless mind their own business, others walk by his business intoxicated, and sometimes keep customers away.

“They ask for money from the people at the tables; it’s an ugly picture overall,” said Kazumoff.

Herbert Hofer has been a resident on Ocean Drive for 24 years. He says his neighborhood has seen its share of problems with the homeless. “Now they’re doing the job they are supposed to be doing for the neighborhood,” said Hofer.

“We don’t have the same amount of homeless in the street now; they are either in jail or have left the city,” said Causey.

HOMELESS OUTREACH/pOLICE dEpARTMENT pARTNERSHIp RESULTS:

» The chronic offenders

have moved on to other

cities.

» Better documentation and

tracking of our vagrants

and panhandlers.

» Less complaints from the

public related to urinating

in public, camping in

public parks and streets.

» Less panhandling on

Lincoln Road, 5th Street

corridor, Alton Road and

Ocean Drive.

» Fewer physical threats to

the HOT team.

» Less public drunkenness,

sleeping on sidewalks/

bus benches, bathing in

the public restrooms.

2

The homeless outreach team of Miami Beach reaches out to a homeless man at Lummus Park.