San Diego police use 'progressive steps' to address homeless encampments in downtown neighborhoods

San Diego's Neighborhood Policing Division responds to between 800 and 1,000 homeless encampment complaints through the city's Get It Done app every week and officers say there is no overnight fix.I rode along with Sergeant Chris Smith to see how officers handle those calls and what happens when they arrive.By 6:30 a.m., Smith was already heading to his first stop in East Village, where business owners say encampments are a growing problem. On 17th Street, trash, clothes and tents covered the sidewalks.Smith said the 200 block of 17th Street alone had logged 95 contacts, making it the top location for complaints.Before any enforcement takes place, officers start with a conversation and an offer."So instead of just saying, OK, it's a misdemeanor, go to jail, we use progressive steps," Smith said.The first step is offering shelter and documenting the contact. From there, enforcement can escalate from a warning to a citation and potentially to criminal charges but only if someone continues to refuse shelter.Smith said anyone found under the influence or caught using drugs will automatically face charges.

During the ride-along, officers pointed out drug paraphernalia at one site."You'll often see that they use, um, they'll either use foil or a spoon like this. This has burnt fentanyl in it," Smith said.At one East Village location, officers issued 2 infraction citations the second level of the progressive enforcement model made one felony arrest for a parole violation, and one misdemeanor arrest for drug offenses.After about an hour in East Village, the team moved to Barrio Logan, where business owner Ava Mason said she files encampment reports on the Get It Done app every day."Defecating down the sidewalk, prostitution, everything," Mason said.At 16th and National Avenue, another block was crowded with tents. At one point, officers believed they saw a gun inside a tent a situation that escalated quickly."The subject was kind of just waking up and kind of looked like it was, he was starting to go towards it.

And so the officer did draw his handgun and pointed it at the male. The male did comply right away," Smith said.The weapon turned out to be fake.At each encampment site, green signs were posted letting people know they had 24 hours to move before the city's abatement team arrived to clean up."We're trying to get them pointed towards shelter.